Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Loei Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Loei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $921 in Loei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,522 in Loei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,122 in Loei.

Living in Phuket is roughly 34% more expensive than in Loei, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Loei 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.96 ฿98.7

48.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$21.65 ฿723

49.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.47 ฿249

19.54%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$2.13 ฿71.1

36.15%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.73 ฿24.38

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.35 ฿11.52

37.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.14 ฿71.5

9.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.99 ฿99.9

24.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.79 ฿59.7

4.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.41 ฿47.20

4.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.37 ฿45.61

13.14%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$2.16 ฿72.1

-2.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$16.15 ฿539

21.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.71 ฿90.4

26.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.39 ฿347

9.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.09 ฿103

-3.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.08 ฿35.91

55.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.27 ฿75.8

-2.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.88 ฿62.6

14.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.46 ฿48.73

4.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.07 ฿35.64

25.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.09 ฿36.38

3.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.49 ฿16.40

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.54 ฿151

-6.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$16.85 ฿562

13.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.74 ฿58.2

2.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.92 ฿97.5

-4.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.93 ฿30.96

139.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.27 ฿42.46

138.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$1.10 ฿36.69

-7.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$3.99 ฿133

-2.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.38 ฿46.06

7.97%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$26.9K ฿898.1K

-1.20%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$27.1K ฿904.3K

-0.23%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$85.8 ฿2,865

19.40%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$12.06 ฿403

-6.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$19.27 ฿643

-9.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$48.89 ฿1,632

6.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$14.48 ฿483

-23.55%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$6.86 ฿229

12.10%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$579 ฿19.3K

-3.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$10.9K ฿363.9K

5.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$50.7 ฿1,693

24.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$30.29 ฿1,011

-2.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$79.2 ฿2,642

23.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$76.3 ฿2,547

16.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$455 ฿15.2K

62.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$300 ฿10.0K

60.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,385 ฿46.2K

52.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$756 ฿25.2K

62.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,958 ฿65.3K

84.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,582 ฿52.8K

64.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Loei: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $455 in Loei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $22.00 in Loei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $245 per month, with Loei cheaper across the board.

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 Loei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Loei differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $921 including rent). Loei 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 $1,382 in Loei 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: $738 in Phuket versus $455 in Loei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $579 in Loei. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Loei – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $921 in Loei versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Loei but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Loei 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 Loei 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 Loei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.