Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lucea Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lucea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $892 in Lucea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,422 in Lucea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,951 in Lucea, rent included.

Phuket costs about 41% more than Lucea, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Lucea are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Lucea 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$7.72 JMD 1,214

-40.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,535

$63.4 JMD 9,970

-26.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿279

$8.55 JMD 1,345

-0.94%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿99.7

$4.26 JMD 670

-28.87%

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

$0.69 ฿22.69

$1.38 JMD 217

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.71 JMD 112

-47.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.9

$2.56 JMD 402

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.05 JMD 480

20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.8

$4.40 JMD 692

-50.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.6

$3.58 JMD 564

-46.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.4

$1.56 JMD 245

41.03%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿73.2

$3.59 JMD 565

-38.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿658

$10.88 JMD 1,711

83.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿121

$6.37 JMD 1,002

-42.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿436

$7.75 JMD 1,218

70.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿106

$5.90 JMD 928

-45.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$3.10 JMD 487

-45.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.8

$4.28 JMD 673

-44.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$3.06 JMD 482

-32.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.4

$2.10 JMD 330

-24.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.83

$1.93 JMD 303

-23.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.90

$3.06 JMD 482

-66.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.01

$1.46 JMD 229

-64.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$8.89 JMD 1,398

-52.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿618

$11.31 JMD 1,778

66.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.86 JMD 450

-38.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$3.16 JMD 498

-12.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿103

$1.13 JMD 177

177.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.10

$3.19 JMD 502

-67.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿453

$6.13 JMD 964

124.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.26

$1.23 JMD 193

8.94%

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

$27.7K ฿911.1K

$42.7K JMD 6.7M

-35.18%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$34.2K JMD 5.4M

-1.01%

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

$124 ฿4,069

$165 JMD 26.0K

-25.14%

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

$13.52 ฿445

$22.15 JMD 3,485

-38.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿615

$50.6 JMD 7,959

-63.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿301

$13.28 JMD 2,089

-31.17%

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

$703 ฿23.1K

$222 JMD 34.9K

216.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿522.5K

$2,446 JMD 384.7K

548.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,958

$26.37 JMD 4,148

125.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,154

$25.81 JMD 4,059

35.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,795

$72.2 JMD 11.3K

59.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,767

$77.2 JMD 12.1K

8.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿120.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.15

-41.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Lucea: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $63.0 in Lucea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $352 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Lucea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 41% more than Lucea, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,338 in Lucea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $63.0 in Lucea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 20% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Lucea, where all-in costs run around $892, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Lucea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Lucea costs $892 versus $1,261 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lucea. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.