Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lushnje Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Lushnje

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,197 in Lushnje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,859 in Lushnje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,520 in Lushnje.

Living in Phuket is roughly 4% more expensive than in Lushnje, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Lushnje 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$11.71 ALL 955

-61.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$59.0 ALL 4,809

-21.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$9.50 ALL 774

-6.95%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.02 ALL 165

51.49%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.81 ALL 148

-59.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.96 ALL 78.5

-58.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.97 ALL 242

-18.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.00 ALL 326

-5.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.11 ALL 172

7.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.13 ALL 92.5

60.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.14 ALL 174

5.14%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.83 ALL 313

-41.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$12.88 ALL 1,050

51.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$7.62 ALL 622

-52.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$15.86 ALL 1,293

-17.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.78 ALL 145

81.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.66 ALL 217

-39.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.98 ALL 162

20.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.99 ALL 163

2.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.37 ALL 112

11.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.32 ALL 108

13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.52 ALL 124

-35.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.75 ALL 61.2

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.20 ALL 342

5.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$10.19 ALL 831

79.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.64 ALL 134

13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.16 ALL 176

24.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.45 ALL 36.47

213.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$18.59 ALL 1,516

-37.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$3.54 ALL 289

-12.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$3.21 ALL 262

-67.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$17.56 ALL 1,432

-19.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$2.15 ALL 176

-39.07%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$39.6K ALL 3.2M

-29.73%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$35.1K ALL 2.9M

-5.42%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$108 ALL 8,799

13.49%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$17.83 ALL 1,454

-23.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$18.52 ALL 1,510

0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$54.8 ALL 4,469

10.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$25.07 ALL 2,045

-32.27%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$9.25 ALL 754

-1.95%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$157 ALL 12.8K

350.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$5,503 ALL 448.8K

187.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$69.1 ALL 5,637

-15.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$51.4 ALL 4,191

-31.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$106 ALL 8,677

8.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$131 ALL 10.7K

-36.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$452 ALL 36.8K

38.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$336 ALL 27.4K

32.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$616 ALL 50.3K

231.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$438 ALL 35.7K

240.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,013 ALL 164.2K

72.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,136 ALL 92.7K

126.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$617 ALL 50.3K

-19.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.52

-3.44%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Lushnje: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $452 in Lushnje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lushnje pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $59.0 in Lushnje. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $278, with Lushnje 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 Lushnje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lushnje wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lushnje the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 23% lower in Lushnje. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $452 in Lushnje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Lushnje – a meal for two runs $59.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $1,197 in Lushnje – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,197 in Lushnje versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lushnje but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Lushnje the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Lushnje delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,197 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lushnje hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Lushnje 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 Lushnje gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.