Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lija Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lija

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $2,017 in Lija, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $3,069 in Lija, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $4,122 in Lija, rent included.

Phuket is about 37% cheaper than Lija, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Lija is 50% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$19.95 €17.19

-77.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$70.4 €60.7

-33.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$11.75 €10.12

-27.91%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.64 €2.27

14.77%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$2.73 €2.35

-74.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.99 €1.71

-81.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$4.86 €4.18

-48.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.79 €4.13

-23.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.30 €1.12

67.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.57 €1.35

21.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$3.45 €2.97

-36.23%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.72 €3.20

-40.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$9.96 €8.58

100.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$10.62 €9.15

-65.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$14.05 €12.11

-5.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.41 €2.94

-5.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.03 €1.75

-16.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.75 €2.37

-13.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$3.28 €2.83

-36.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.88 €1.62

-15.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$2.94 €2.53

-49.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.84 €1.58

-44.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.29 €1.11

-59.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$6.35 €5.47

-33.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.96 €5.14

215.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.34 €2.02

-24.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.83 €1.57

50.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$2.72 €2.35

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$8.03 €6.92

-60.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.89 €1.62

-44.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$35.22 €30.35

-60.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.58 €1.36

-15.19%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$25.7K €22.2K

7.52%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$40.4K €34.8K

-16.24%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$165 €143

-25.32%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$30.28 €26.08

-55.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$33.71 €29.05

-44.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$63.4 €54.6

-2.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$23.37 €20.14

-26.19%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$15.27 €13.16

-40.14%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$258 €222

172.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$12.7K €10.9K

24.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$103 €89.1

-42.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$38.11 €32.83

-7.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$147 €127

-21.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$101 €87.2

-16.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$1,140 €982

-45.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$925 €797

-53.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,948 €1,678

5.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$1,500 €1,293

0.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$3,544 €3,054

2.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$3,292 €2,836

-20.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.43

-1.84%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lija: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $1,140 in Lija. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $70.0 in Lija. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $301 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Lija: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,261 in Phuket, $2,017 in Lija – roughly 60% apart. Lija costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $3,025 in Lija. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $2,017 in Lija. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $258 in Lija. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Lija at $2,017. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lija it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,261 in Phuket to $2,017 in Lija. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Lija makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.