Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Luque Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Luque

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $994 in Luque, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,503 in Luque, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,012 in Luque, rent included.

Phuket costs about 27% more than Luque, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Luque are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Luque 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Luque
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66 ฿154
$4.13 ₲24.4K
12.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.22 ฿1,065
$33.65 ₲198.6K
-4.25%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.68 ฿287
$5.07 ₲29.9K
71.20%
Cappuccino
$2.90 ฿95.8
$3.27 ₲19.3K
-11.31%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.84 ฿27.89
$1.10 ₲6,474
-23.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.16
$0.62 ₲3,673
-20.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.48 ฿82.0
$2.00 ₲11.8K
24.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73 ฿123
$1.92 ₲11.3K
94.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Luque
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.89 ฿62.3
$1.22 ₲7,200
54.92%
White Bread (500g)
$1.41 ฿46.54
$1.49 ₲8,784
-5.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.62 ฿53.6
$1.28 ₲7,571
26.56%
Eggs
$2.24 ฿74.1
$2.00 ₲11.8K
12.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.84 ฿656
$9.45 ₲55.8K
109.95%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.48 ฿115
$5.23 ₲30.9K
-33.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.37 ฿376
$9.67 ₲57.1K
17.58%
Apples (1kg)
$2.90 ฿95.8
$2.90 ₲17.1K
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.72 ฿57.0
$1.26 ₲7,452
36.51%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.27 ฿75.1
$1.18 ₲6,971
92.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿70.4
$2.38 ₲14.0K
-10.50%
Potato (1kg)
$1.47 ฿48.72
$1.30 ₲7,699
13.08%
Onion (1kg)
$1.42 ฿46.92
$1.26 ₲7,429
12.70%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.10 ฿36.25
$0.86 ₲5,070
27.91%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60 ฿19.76
$0.73 ₲4,301
-17.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.31 ฿142
$2.31 ₲13.7K
86.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.60 ฿615
$8.85 ₲52.2K
110.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 ฿59.5
$1.29 ₲7,641
39.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 ฿98.0
$1.65 ₲9,752
80.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Luque
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.25 ฿74.2
$0.66 ₲3,886
240.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$23.49 ฿776
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.10 ฿102
$1.46 ₲8,641
112.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.08 ฿35.56
$1.54 ₲9,070
-29.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.87 ฿128
$10.27 ₲60.6K
-62.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 ฿47.16
$1.15 ₲6,759
24.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿918.0K
$16.8K ₲99.4M
64.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K ฿891.5K
$34.6K ₲204.1M
-21.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Luque
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$105 ฿3,462
$25.59 ₲151.1K
309.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.39 ฿376
$17.02 ₲100.5K
-33.08%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.54 ฿580
$20.08 ₲118.6K
-12.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Luque
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.3 ฿1,795
$42.76 ₲252.4K
27.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.44 ฿378
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.78 ฿257
$8.35 ₲49.3K
-6.83%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Luque
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$576 ฿19.0K
$181 ₲1.1M
219.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿382.7K
$4,812 ₲28.4M
140.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Luque
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.6 ฿2,103
$62.2 ₲367.4K
2.25%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.10 ฿961
$56.0 ₲330.7K
-48.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.2 ฿3,179
$106 ₲623.5K
-8.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$90.0 ฿2,974
$68.9 ₲406.9K
30.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Luque
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$733 ฿24.2K
$425 ₲2.5M
72.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$501 ฿16.5K
$422 ₲2.5M
18.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,126 ฿70.2K
$1,490 ₲8.8M
42.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,252 ฿41.4K
$646 ₲3.8M
93.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,534 ฿116.8K
$1,194 ₲7.0M
195.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,622 ฿86.6K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Luque
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 ฿16.8K
$473 ₲2.8M
7.31%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
10.15
-45.12%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Luque: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $425 in Luque. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 7% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $34.00 in Luque. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $208 in Luque – so Luque wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Luque: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Luque cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,490 in Luque. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Luque, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Luque?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $994 in Luque. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $181 in Luque. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Luque?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Luque, where all-in costs run around $994, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Luque it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Luque more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Luque – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Luque?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Luque. 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.

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