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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $666 in Limbe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $927 in Limbe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,188 in Limbe.

Living in Phuket is roughly 88% more expensive than in Limbe, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Limbe 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.47 FCFA 2,569

1.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.13 FCFA 647

170.80%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.64 FCFA 940

-55.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.86 FCFA 496

-53.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.81 FCFA 1,038

34.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.67 FCFA 1,535

41.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.62 FCFA 1,501

-13.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.68 FCFA 966

33.93%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.18 FCFA 1,249

3.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.55 FCFA 5,482

104.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.92 FCFA 2,827

-25.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$6.44 FCFA 3,695

102.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.97 FCFA 1,129

63.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.15 FCFA 663

40.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.92 FCFA 1,105

23.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.99 FCFA 1,145

2.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.96 FCFA 1,127

-21.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.92 FCFA 529

6.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.79 FCFA 1,026

-70.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.72 FCFA 1,564

63.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.82 FCFA 5,065

107.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.96 FCFA 1,125

-5.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.62 FCFA 1,504

2.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.90 FCFA 514

56.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$26.20 FCFA 15.0K

-55.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.54 FCFA 311

475.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.21 FCFA 122

395.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$1.81 FCFA 1,037

679.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.19 FCFA 686

10.08%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,118

$89.3 FCFA 51.3K

37.11%

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$85.2 FCFA 48.9K

-78.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$44.33 FCFA 25.5K

36.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.37 FCFA 2,511

107.55%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$356 FCFA 204.6K

98.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$1,798 FCFA 1.0M

778.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$117 FCFA 67.1K

435.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$114 FCFA 65.6K

289.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$356 FCFA 204.6K

472.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$207 FCFA 118.6K

622.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Limbe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 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 88% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $666 including rent). Limbe is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,000 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: $626 in Phuket versus $117 in Limbe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $356 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 124% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $666 in Limbe versus $1,250 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 88% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.