Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Luanda Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Luanda

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,010 in Luanda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,900 in Luanda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,790 in Luanda.

Living in Phuket is roughly 25% more expensive than in Luanda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Luanda 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$5.56 AOA 5,073

-16.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,066

$36.53 AOA 33.3K

-11.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$6.47 AOA 5,908

34.16%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.9

$2.53 AOA 2,312

14.62%

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

$0.84 ฿27.91

$1.34 AOA 1,227

-37.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.17

$1.16 AOA 1,056

-57.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.1

$1.66 AOA 1,512

49.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$1.66 AOA 1,519

124.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.99 AOA 1,819

-5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.58

$0.95 AOA 869

48.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.61 AOA 1,466

0.62%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.88 AOA 1,713

19.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$9.26 AOA 8,449

114.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$3.44 AOA 3,138

1.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.52 AOA 6,861

51.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$2.25 AOA 2,057

28.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.01 AOA 926

70.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.2

$2.78 AOA 2,536

-18.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.5

$1.84 AOA 1,683

15.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$1.55 AOA 1,412

-5.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.96

$1.58 AOA 1,441

-10.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.29

$1.76 AOA 1,604

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.78

$0.34 AOA 315

76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$1.62 AOA 1,481

166.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$5.89 AOA 5,377

215.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.6

$0.45 AOA 412

300.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.1

$0.92 AOA 838

222.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.3

$0.34 AOA 310

561.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿777

$33.03 AOA 30.1K

-28.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿103

$1.12 AOA 1,027

176.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.59

$0.91 AOA 830

18.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$5.50 AOA 5,019

-29.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.20

$0.32 AOA 292

346.87%

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

$27.8K ฿918.9K

$14.2K AOA 12.9M

96.19%

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

$27.0K ฿892.4K

$22.7K AOA 20.7M

18.71%

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

$105 ฿3,466

$101 AOA 92.0K

3.93%

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

$11.39 ฿377

$17.81 AOA 16.3K

-36.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$79.6 AOA 72.6K

-77.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,797

$45.68 AOA 41.7K

18.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$15.58 AOA 14.2K

-26.57%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$3.57 AOA 3,259

117.93%

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

$576 ฿19.1K

$759 AOA 692.3K

-24.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿383.0K

$13.3K AOA 12.2M

-13.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,104

$109 AOA 99.4K

-41.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿962

$63.7 AOA 58.1K

-54.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,182

$99.0 AOA 90.4K

-2.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,977

$201 AOA 183.3K

-55.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$390 AOA 356.0K

87.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.6K

$196 AOA 179.1K

155.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.3K

$2,170 AOA 2.0M

-2.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$1,039 AOA 948.2K

20.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.9K

$12.0K AOA 10.9M

-70.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.7K

$894 AOA 815.6K

193.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$1,411 AOA 1.3M

-64.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-73.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Luanda: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $390 in Luanda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luanda pays 178% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Luanda. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $183, with Luanda 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 Luanda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Luanda differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,010 including rent). Luanda is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 178% lower in Luanda. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $733 in Phuket versus $390 in Luanda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Luanda runs roughly 41% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $759 in Luanda. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,010 in Luanda versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Luanda but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Luanda 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 Luanda 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 Luanda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.