Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lopburi

For one person, living is cheaper in Lopburi: $802 a month against $1,207 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Lopburi
🇹🇭 Thailand
$802
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Lopburi

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 Lopburi actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $802 in Lopburi.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Lopburi $802

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $1,300 in Lopburi.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Lopburi $1,300

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $1,797 in Lopburi.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Lopburi $1,797

Living in Phuket is roughly 51% more expensive than in Lopburi, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Lopburi 41% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Lopburi
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$1.31 ฿43.91
249.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$11.78 ฿394
175.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$4.45 ฿149
92.13%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$1.18 ฿39.40
130.51%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$0.75 ฿25.06
25.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$0.31 ฿10.52
58.06%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$2.13 ฿71.0
21.60%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$2.89 ฿96.7
32.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Lopburi
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$1.15 ฿38.59
51.30%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$1.28 ฿42.91
11.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$1.28 ฿42.72
19.53%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$1.73 ฿57.9
25.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$12.59 ฿421
52.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$2.50 ฿83.6
32.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$9.96 ฿333
11.85%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$1.37 ฿45.72
115.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$0.85 ฿28.32
97.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$1.16 ฿38.66
98.28%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$1.58 ฿52.8
34.81%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$1.81 ฿60.6
-15.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$0.86 ฿28.78
58.14%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$0.83 ฿27.69
34.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$0.41 ฿13.82
34.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$4.47 ฿149
-4.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$14.07 ฿470
29.28%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.68 ฿56.3
3.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$1.86 ฿62.3
50.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Lopburi
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
$0.93 ฿30.93
138.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$2.36 ฿78.9
23.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
$1.52 ฿50.8
-33.55%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
$5.00 ฿167
-23.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$1.46 ฿48.68
2.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
$16.5K ฿552.3K
61.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$26.1K ฿873.8K
2.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Lopburi
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$82.6 ฿2,759
20.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$9.32 ฿311
21.03%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$8.98 ฿300
93.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Lopburi
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
$47.06 ฿1,573
11.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
$14.11 ฿471
-23.10%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$6.72 ฿225
12.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Lopburi
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$708 ฿23.7K
-21.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$6,016 ฿201.0K
90.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Lopburi
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$6.11 ฿204
929.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$35.13 ฿1,174
-18.65%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$71.9 ฿2,404
33.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$54.1 ฿1,809
62.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Lopburi
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$442 ฿14.8K
65.06%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
$296 ฿9,904
55.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
$1,365 ฿45.6K
53.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
$747 ฿25.0K
63.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
$1,932 ฿64.6K
79.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
$1,551 ฿51.8K
60.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Lopburi
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.3
-11.59%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Lopburi: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Lopburi
$296 35.6% $164
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Lopburi
$197 26.4% $71
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Lopburi
$101 21.2% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Lopburi
$75 39.3% $49
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Lopburi
$59 51.6% $63
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Lopburi
$61 10.3% $6.9
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Lopburi
$14 * 64.9% $25

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $442 in Lopburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $12.00 in Lopburi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $197 per month, with Lopburi cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇹🇭 Lopburi
🕒 Local time
08:04 8:04 AM
08:04 8:04 AM
Same time as Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
26,500
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Lopburi 810 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Lopburi

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 Lopburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Lopburi cheaper than Phuket?
Lopburi is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,811 in Phuket and $1,203 in Lopburi 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Lopburi?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $442 in Lopburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $558 in Phuket versus $708 in Lopburi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Lopburi?
Dining out is cheaper in Lopburi – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Lopburi?
At $802 in Lopburi versus $1,207 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lopburi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lopburi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Lopburi more family-friendly?
For families, Lopburi is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Lopburi?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Lopburi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Lopburi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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