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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $924 in Limbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,560 in Limbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,197 in Limbe.

Living in Phuket is roughly 33% more expensive than in Limbe, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Limbe 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.38 FCFA 2,500

0.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$125 FCFA 71.2K

-74.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.19 FCFA 4,103

24.20%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$1.11 FCFA 635

161.26%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$1.56 FCFA 889

-43.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.82 FCFA 466

-41.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$1.27 FCFA 723

85.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.61 FCFA 1,491

42.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$2.66 FCFA 1,519

-29.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.45 FCFA 255

226.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.67 FCFA 952

-7.19%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.99 FCFA 1,138

5.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$9.59 FCFA 5,473

104.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$4.81 FCFA 2,746

-28.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$6.63 FCFA 3,783

71.64%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$1.97 FCFA 1,124

51.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.14 FCFA 652

47.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.98 FCFA 1,130

11.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.42 FCFA 812

52.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.99 FCFA 1,137

-23.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$2.23 FCFA 1,273

-39.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.77 FCFA 441

46.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.63 FCFA 358

-12.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.59 FCFA 1,480

64.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$8.73 FCFA 4,984

118.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.51 FCFA 860

17.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$1.87 FCFA 1,068

48.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.85 FCFA 483

162.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

$26.65 FCFA 15.2K

-14.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.55 FCFA 313

450.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.23 FCFA 132

343.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$1.74 FCFA 996

123.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.14 FCFA 650

30.70%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$30.6K FCFA 17.4M

-13.06%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$16.1K FCFA 9.2M

68.15%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$89.7 FCFA 51.2K

14.27%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$26.16 FCFA 14.9K

-56.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$84.2 FCFA 48.0K

-79.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$44.06 FCFA 25.1K

18.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$4.47 FCFA 2,554

72.04%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$348 FCFA 198.6K

61.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$1,747 FCFA 996.8K

558.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$83.1 FCFA 47.4K

-24.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$68.0 FCFA 38.8K

-56.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$145 FCFA 82.7K

-32.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$154 FCFA 87.7K

-42.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$138 FCFA 78.8K

249.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$140 FCFA 79.9K

775.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

19.04

-70.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Limbe: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $125 in Limbe. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $200, with Limbe cheaper for home cooking.

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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $924 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,386 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Limbe – a meal for two runs $125 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $924 in Limbe versus $1,232 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 33% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.