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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $327 in Masallatah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $539 in Masallatah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $751 in Masallatah, rent included.

Phuket costs about 287% more than Masallatah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Masallatah are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Masallatah 76% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$4.64 LYD 29.53

1.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$18.71 LYD 119

142.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$3.56 LYD 22.67

136.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 LYD 3.40

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 LYD 4.25

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$0.51 LYD 3.26

474.51%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.45 LYD 2.89

53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.12 LYD 0.78

208.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.99 LYD 6.27

125.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.23 LYD 1.47

695.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.25 LYD 7.92

73.60%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.50 LYD 9.52

47.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$4.92 LYD 31.30

301.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.28 LYD 20.86

10.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.27 LYD 65.3

31.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.21 LYD 14.03

48.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.34 LYD 8.55

20.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$0.76 LYD 4.84

217.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.52 LYD 3.30

300.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.65 LYD 4.15

135.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.53 LYD 3.34

179.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.39 LYD 2.47

153.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.20 LYD 1.27

155.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.24 LYD 7.90

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 LYD 4.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 LYD 4.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.81 LYD 11.50

143.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.96 LYD 6.11

214.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.90 LYD 5.70

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$4.63 LYD 29.42

204.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.03 LYD 0.20

4433.33%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$13.9K LYD 88.3K

103.16%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$16.4K LYD 104.4K

100.44%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$32.39 LYD 206

275.73%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$8.32 LYD 52.9

63.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$23.39 LYD 149

-21.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.62 LYD 29.37

88.10%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$51.9 LYD 330

1235.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$916 LYD 5,828

1611.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$21.61 LYD 137

175.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$34.89 LYD 222

-0.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$50.4 LYD 320

127.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$55.5 LYD 353

50.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

17.5

-69.54%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Masallatah: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Masallatah. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $117 – 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 287%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $490 in Masallatah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $327 in Masallatah. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $51.9 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 $327, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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.