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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Phuket vs $883 in Lucea, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Phuket vs $1,451 in Lucea, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,306 per month in Phuket vs $2,020 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 7% lower, Lucea 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 ฿147

$7.62 JMD 1,207

-39.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 ฿1,500

$61.8 JMD 9,778

-24.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿279

$8.56 JMD 1,355

1.64%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿93.7

$4.28 JMD 678

-31.78%

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

$0.68 ฿21.90

$1.37 JMD 217

-50.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.69

$0.70 JMD 111

-42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿80.3

$2.52 JMD 399

-0.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿122

$3.07 JMD 485

23.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ฿69.2

$4.43 JMD 702

-51.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ฿60.3

$3.48 JMD 551

-45.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ฿69.1

$1.57 JMD 249

37.58%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿71.1

$3.43 JMD 542

-35.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿627

$11.25 JMD 1,781

73.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ฿122

$6.49 JMD 1,027

-41.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ฿430

$7.52 JMD 1,191

78.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿104

$5.96 JMD 943

-45.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.6

$3.10 JMD 491

-48.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿73.9

$4.12 JMD 653

-43.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ฿65.9

$3.05 JMD 482

-32.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.4

$2.02 JMD 319

-20.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.23

$1.93 JMD 305

-25.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿32.99

$3.09 JMD 488

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.38

$1.43 JMD 226

-66.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿144

$9.01 JMD 1,426

-50.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ฿614

$11.51 JMD 1,821

66.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$2.90 JMD 458

-37.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿86.2

$3.22 JMD 509

-16.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ฿44.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿99.5

$1.09 JMD 172

185.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.16

$3.15 JMD 499

-68.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.74 ฿440

$6.19 JMD 980

121.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.58

$1.24 JMD 196

4.84%

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

$27.4K ฿876.5K

$42.9K JMD 6.8M

-36.22%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$33.7K JMD 5.3M

-2.12%

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

$125 ฿4,001

$166 JMD 26.3K

-24.88%

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

$13.74 ฿440

$21.82 JMD 3,453

-37.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 ฿596

$51.4 JMD 8,139

-63.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ฿1,940

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿549

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ฿289

$12.99 JMD 2,056

-30.64%

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

$698 ฿22.4K

$225 JMD 35.7K

209.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿516.2K

$2,461 JMD 389.6K

554.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ฿1,897

$26.31 JMD 4,164

125.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 ฿1,117

$25.70 JMD 4,068

35.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,659

$71.8 JMD 11.4K

58.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,749

$75.7 JMD 12.0K

13.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ฿66.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿48.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 ฿120.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 ฿86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿16.9K

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Lucea: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $0 in Lucea. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47 in Phuket versus $62 in Lucea. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $351 – 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 $1,870 per month in Phuket and $1,324 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 $62.0 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 $883, than in Phuket at $1,247. 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 $883 versus $1,247 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.