Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lusaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Lusaka: $872 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
42

Cost of Living Index in Lusaka
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Lusaka Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Lusaka

🇿🇲 Zambia

$872

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Lusaka

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $872 in Lusaka.

Phuket $1,208
Lusaka $872

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $1,488 in Lusaka.

Phuket $2,027
Lusaka $1,488

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $2,103 in Lusaka.

Phuket $2,845
Lusaka $2,103

Living in Phuket is roughly 39% more expensive than in Lusaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Lusaka 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$5.58 ZMW 111

-21.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

$29.94 ZMW 595

7.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$4.99 ZMW 99.3

75.55%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

$2.84 ZMW 56.5

-0.35%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

$0.77 ZMW 15.27

16.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$0.46 ZMW 9.13

2.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

$1.27 ZMW 25.34

100.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$2.30 ZMW 45.73

66.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.69 ZMW 33.64

2.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

$1.17 ZMW 23.28

25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.01 ZMW 39.99

-24.88%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$1.96 ZMW 39.04

10.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

$10.49 ZMW 209

87.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

$6.34 ZMW 126

-47.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

$6.61 ZMW 131

68.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$3.30 ZMW 65.6

-13.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

$2.45 ZMW 48.81

-30.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

$3.66 ZMW 72.8

-40.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.57 ZMW 31.27

30.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$2.52 ZMW 50.1

-42.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

$1.79 ZMW 35.66

-22.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

$1.12 ZMW 22.24

-4.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

$0.74 ZMW 14.75

-31.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.94 ZMW 58.5

44.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

$10.09 ZMW 201

84.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

$1.42 ZMW 28.21

25.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

$2.32 ZMW 46.18

22.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

$0.97 ZMW 19.35

132.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

$50.0 ZMW 995

-55.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

$2.46 ZMW 48.89

22.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

$1.52 ZMW 30.18

-30.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

$4.99 ZMW 99.2

-22.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

$1.51 ZMW 29.99

-3.97%

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

$7,644 ZMW 152.0K

244.45%

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

$27.8K ZMW 553.6K

-3.20%

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

$81.7 ZMW 1,626

17.92%

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

$11.04 ฿369

$10.28 ZMW 204

7.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

$54.4 ZMW 1,081

-68.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

$55.1 ZMW 1,096

-5.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

$15.21 ZMW 303

-26.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

$6.03 ZMW 120

29.52%

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

$556 ฿18.6K

$139 ZMW 2,774

298.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

$16.5K ZMW 328.6K

-29.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

$23.04 ZMW 458

178.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

$15.19 ZMW 302

88.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

$45.38 ZMW 903

110.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

$72.9 ZMW 1,450

20.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

$380 ZMW 7,564

93.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

$177 ZMW 3,513

161.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

$1,067 ZMW 21.2K

96.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

$593 ZMW 11.8K

102.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

$1,895 ZMW 37.7K

84.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

$5,017 ZMW 99.8K

-49.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

$316 ZMW 6,290

58.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-80.79%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Lusaka

$177 20.3% 61.8% $286

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Lusaka

$238 27.3% 11.5% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Lusaka

$146 16.8% 17.5% $22

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Lusaka

$70 8.1% 43.4% $54

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Lusaka

$110 12.6% 9.6% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Lusaka

$67 7.7% 0.9% $0.6

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Lusaka

$64 7.3% 62.2% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $380 in Lusaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 58% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Lusaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $238 per month, with Lusaka cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇿🇲 Lusaka

🕒 Local time

23:57 11:57 PM

18:57 6:57 PM

5 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

1,742,979 Capital

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 ZMW = 5.03 USD

100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 19.89 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.03 USD). 1 EUR = 22.36 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Lusaka 8,140 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Lusaka

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 Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Lusaka differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,208 vs $872 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 58% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Phuket versus $380 in Lusaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,208 per month in Phuket versus $872 in Lusaka – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 126% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $872 in Lusaka versus $1,208 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lusaka but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lusaka 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 Lusaka 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 Lusaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.