Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Leova Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Leova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,171 in Leova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,958 in Leova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,745 in Leova.

Living in Phuket is roughly 8% more expensive than in Leova, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Leova 12% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$10.80 MDL 190

-58.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$34.77 MDL 610

31.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$9.85 MDL 173

-11.07%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$0.84 MDL 14.81

253.57%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.52 MDL 9.05

32.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.42 MDL 7.45

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$2.62 MDL 45.98

-3.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.89 MDL 50.7

29.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$1.74 MDL 30.47

23.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$0.57 MDL 9.91

219.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$1.38 MDL 24.18

57.97%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$1.37 MDL 24.09

64.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$14.54 MDL 255

37.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$2.36 MDL 41.42

53.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$4.10 MDL 71.8

230.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$1.39 MDL 24.35

133.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$0.89 MDL 15.61

84.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$1.01 MDL 17.73

130.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$1.16 MDL 20.30

78.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.62 MDL 28.46

-4.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$0.57 MDL 9.96

156.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$0.45 MDL 7.98

117.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$1.04 MDL 18.16

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$4.68 MDL 82.1

-7.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$15.27 MDL 268

21.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$1.18 MDL 20.70

57.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$2.81 MDL 49.25

-5.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

$0.40 MDL 6.96

255.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

$29.04 MDL 509

-60.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$2.98 MDL 52.3

6.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$0.53 MDL 9.29

94.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$3.50 MDL 61.4

296.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$1.50 MDL 26.30

-10.67%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$34.8K MDL 611.2K

-20.24%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$35.9K MDL 630.4K

-7.11%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$123 ฿4,116

$197 MDL 3,448

-37.40%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.77 ฿461

$5.72 MDL 100

140.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$21.71 MDL 381

-15.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

$35.74 MDL 627

69.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

$11.73 MDL 206

46.29%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$4.56 MDL 79.9

94.52%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$688 ฿23.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$86.9 MDL 1,525

-31.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$59.3 MDL 1,041

-41.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$100 MDL 1,755

15.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$119 MDL 2,080

-29.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$876 MDL 15.4K

-29.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$360 MDL 6,318

23.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$1,548 MDL 27.2K

31.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$1,138 MDL 20.0K

31.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

$2,554 MDL 44.8K

35.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

$1,972 MDL 34.6K

28.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$667 MDL 11.7K

-26.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.19

-25.87%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Leova: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $876 in Leova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Leova pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Leova for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $186 per month, with Leova cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Leova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Leova is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Leova. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $876 in Leova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $1,171 in Leova – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,171 in Leova versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Leova but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Leova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Leova is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Leova are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Leova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.