Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Masallatah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Masallatah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $365 in Masallatah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $570 in Masallatah, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $775 in Masallatah, rent included.

Phuket costs about 237% more than Masallatah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Masallatah are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Masallatah 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.05 LYD 25.69

8.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$14.91 LYD 94.5

116.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$2.57 LYD 16.28

247.47%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.61 LYD 3.89

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 LYD 3.91

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$0.43 LYD 2.74

574.42%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.42 LYD 2.65

109.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.10 LYD 0.64

380.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.90 LYD 5.72

107.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.22 LYD 1.40

568.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.13 LYD 7.17

37.17%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.40 LYD 8.86

50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$4.94 LYD 31.31

296.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.23 LYD 20.49

5.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$9.83 LYD 62.3

15.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.32 LYD 14.72

28.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.51 LYD 9.57

11.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$0.75 LYD 4.77

194.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.56 LYD 3.55

285.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.67 LYD 4.25

126.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.46 LYD 2.93

191.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.43 LYD 2.73

162.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.21 LYD 1.31

161.90%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 LYD 11.23

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 LYD 6.58

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.81 LYD 5.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.02 LYD 12.83

110.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.76 LYD 4.82

298.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.45 LYD 2.86

126.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.02 LYD 0.12

7350.00%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$23.2K LYD 147.3K

14.36%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$14.4K LYD 91.0K

88.17%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$93.4 LYD 592

9.77%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$5.82 LYD 36.89

94.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$27.21 LYD 172

-36.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$52.0 LYD 330

977.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$625 LYD 3,959

1741.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$21.14 LYD 134

198.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$17.74 LYD 112

66.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$55.6 LYD 352

76.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$67.9 LYD 430

30.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Masallatah: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $15.00 in Masallatah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $115 – making Masallatah 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 Masallatah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 237%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $548 in Masallatah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $365 in Masallatah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $52.0 in Masallatah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Masallatah, where all-in costs run around $365, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Masallatah it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Masallatah – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Masallatah. 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.