Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lome Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lome

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $590 in Lome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,024 in Lome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,458 in Lome.

Living in Phuket is roughly 114% more expensive than in Lome, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Lome 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.09 F CFA 1,743

50.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$32.15 F CFA 18.2K

0.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$5.64 F CFA 3,186

53.90%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$6.16 F CFA 3,481

-52.92%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$4.27 F CFA 2,413

-80.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.74 F CFA 415

-33.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$0.93 F CFA 527

166.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$1.79 F CFA 1,010

108.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.28 F CFA 1,291

-17.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.35 F CFA 762

4.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.52 F CFA 859

6.58%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.02 F CFA 1,139

10.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$5.82 F CFA 3,288

95.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$3.14 F CFA 1,774

-7.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.75 F CFA 991

-1.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$2.62 F CFA 1,481

-18.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.73 F CFA 977

-15.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.22 F CFA 692

16.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.92 F CFA 520

-34.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$4.93 F CFA 2,783

277.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.16 F CFA 658

55.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.46 F CFA 827

103.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.20 F CFA 681

-10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$4.42 F CFA 2,497

-12.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.19 F CFA 671

20.17%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

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

$105 ฿3,462

$148 F CFA 83.8K

-29.34%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$22.34 F CFA 12.6K

-49.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$44.11 F CFA 24.9K

-60.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$61.7 F CFA 34.8K

-11.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$9.01 F CFA 5,090

26.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$4.51 F CFA 2,547

72.51%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$1,224 F CFA 691.5K

73.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$301 F CFA 170.3K

315.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$309 F CFA 174.6K

64.23%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Lome: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 64% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $32.00 in Lome. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $145, with Lome 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 Lome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lome wins on cost – living expenses run 114% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lome the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 64% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $590 in Lome – a 114% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 90% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $590 in Lome versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lome but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lome delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $590 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lome hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Lome 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 Lome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 114% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.