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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $933 in Loei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,486 in Loei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,040 in Loei.

Living in Phuket is roughly 36% more expensive than in Loei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Loei 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.11 ฿104

44.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$27.70 ฿924

64.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.23 ฿208

40.61%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.04 ฿67.9

45.59%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.67 ฿22.28

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.35 ฿11.60

11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.40 ฿80.0

5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.73 ฿125

0.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.73 ฿57.8

24.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.35 ฿45.07

34.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.28 ฿42.64

70.31%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.13 ฿71.0

5.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$18.17 ฿606

10.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$2.97 ฿99.2

22.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$10.67 ฿356

27.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.18 ฿106

1.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.25 ฿41.73

31.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.89 ฿63.2

23.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.58 ฿52.8

31.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.53 ฿51.1

1.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.25 ฿41.56

16.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.99 ฿32.98

-1.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.49 ฿16.23

-2.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.48 ฿149

-2.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$17.10 ฿571

8.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.75 ฿58.4

6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.71 ฿90.3

-2.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.95 ฿31.74

49.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.09 ฿36.41

190.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.20 ฿40.15

-14.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$6.11 ฿204

127.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.27 ฿42.40

5.51%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$28.2K ฿939.9K

-1.36%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.2K ฿906.6K

22.82%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$75.1 ฿2,506

63.80%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$13.49 ฿450

2.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$18.89 ฿630

-2.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$48.94 ฿1,633

24.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$12.40 ฿414

38.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$7.23 ฿241

22.68%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$297 ฿9,923

131.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$9,838 ฿328.2K

60.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$33.03 ฿1,102

79.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$35.05 ฿1,169

-1.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$101 ฿3,362

14.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$69.8 ฿2,328

20.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$415 ฿13.9K

49.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$288 ฿9,615

54.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$821 ฿27.4K

147.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$662 ฿22.1K

125.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,846 ฿61.6K

87.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,422 ฿47.5K

77.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Loei: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $415 in Loei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $28.00 in Loei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $250 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 36% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $933 including rent). Loei is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,399 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: $621 in Phuket versus $415 in Loei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $297 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 $28.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $933 in Loei versus $1,264 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 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.