Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Limbe Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Limbe

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $637 in Limbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $880 in Limbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,124 in Limbe.

Living in Phuket is roughly 99% more expensive than Limbe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Limbe 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.35 FCFA 2,453

8.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.08 FCFA 611

171.30%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.61 FCFA 905

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.91 FCFA 512

-59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.77 FCFA 999

36.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.59 FCFA 1,463

43.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.62 FCFA 1,477

-14.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.63 FCFA 918

33.13%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.15 FCFA 1,213

2.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.49 FCFA 5,354

108.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$4.93 FCFA 2,778

-26.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$6.32 FCFA 3,562

114.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.98 FCFA 1,117

65.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.20 FCFA 679

34.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.99 FCFA 1,120

21.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.89 FCFA 1,068

10.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.95 FCFA 1,102

-21.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.87 FCFA 490

13.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.81 FCFA 1,020

-71.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.73 FCFA 1,537

61.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.08 FCFA 1,173

-14.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.62 FCFA 1,477

3.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.86 FCFA 485

59.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$26.15 FCFA 14.7K

-56.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.54 FCFA 305

459.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.18 FCFA 102

450.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$1.79 FCFA 1,008

687.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.16 FCFA 653

17.24%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

$87.0 FCFA 49.0K

39.95%

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$85.1 FCFA 48.0K

-78.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$43.24 FCFA 24.4K

39.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.28 FCFA 2,414

103.04%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$349 FCFA 196.6K

98.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,767 FCFA 996.5K

787.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$117 FCFA 65.9K

425.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$112 FCFA 63.0K

291.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$358 FCFA 201.9K

484.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$200 FCFA 112.9K

654.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Limbe: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $117 in Limbe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

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 Limbe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Limbe differ by about 99% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $637 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $955 in Limbe to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $117 in Limbe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $349 in Limbe. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Limbe runs roughly 130% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $637 in Limbe versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Limbe but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Limbe the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Limbe 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 Limbe gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.