Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Livingstone

For one person, living is cheaper in Livingstone: $202 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $12,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Livingstone

🇿🇲 Zambia

$202

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Livingstone

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Livingstone actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,208 per month in Phuket vs $202 in Livingstone, rent included.

Phuket $1,208
Livingstone $202

A couple spends around $2,027 per month in Phuket vs $369 in Livingstone, rent included.

Phuket $2,027
Livingstone $369

A family of three spends $2,845 per month in Phuket vs $536 in Livingstone, rent included.

Phuket $2,845
Livingstone $536

Phuket costs about 499% more than Livingstone, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Livingstone are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 11% lower, Livingstone 85% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$7.42 ZMW 148

-40.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

$29.48 ZMW 586

9.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$8.92 ZMW 177

-1.79%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

$5.10 ZMW 101

-44.51%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$0.34 ZMW 6.67

38.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

$20.14 ZMW 401

-7.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

$2.58 ZMW 51.3

-58.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

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

$11.04 ฿369

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

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

$556 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Livingstone: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Livingstone

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Livingstone

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Livingstone

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Livingstone

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Livingstone

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Livingstone

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Livingstone

–

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $29.00 in Livingstone. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $40.00 – making Livingstone the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇿🇲 Livingstone

🕒 Local time

18:37 6:37 PM

13:37 1:37 PM

5 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

136,897

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 19.89 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.03 USD). 1 EUR = 22.36 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Livingstone 8,460 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Livingstone

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Livingstone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,208 in Phuket, $202 in Livingstone – roughly 499% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Phuket and $303 in Livingstone. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $29.00 in Livingstone. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,208 in Phuket and $202 in Livingstone. That's a gap of about 499%.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Livingstone, where all-in costs run around $202, than in Phuket at $1,208. In Livingstone it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket 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 $202 in Livingstone to $1,208 in Phuket. 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 Livingstone. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.