😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $329 in Sabratha.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $545 in Sabratha.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $761 in Sabratha.
🌍Living in Phuket is roughly 280% more expensive than in Sabratha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Sabratha75% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sabratha
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.55฿153
$4.72LYD 30.09
-3.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.18฿1,553
$18.23LYD 116
153.32%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿297
$3.62LYD 23.09
144.20%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.56LYD 3.60
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.66LYD 4.23
-
Cappuccino
$3.06฿103
$0.52LYD 3.30
488.46%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73฿24.40
$0.49LYD 3.13
48.98%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.40฿13.39
$0.10LYD 0.62
300.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿81.8
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78฿127
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sabratha
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿76.0
$1.03LYD 6.57
119.42%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿60.9
$0.23LYD 1.47
686.96%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25฿75.8
$1.19LYD 7.60
89.08%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.5
$1.44LYD 9.19
56.25%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.51฿656
$4.97LYD 31.66
292.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿123
$3.28LYD 20.90
11.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.05฿439
$10.12LYD 64.5
28.95%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿109
$2.21LYD 14.05
46.15%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿54.4
$1.34LYD 8.55
20.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.38฿80.1
$0.75LYD 4.79
217.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.1
$0.52LYD 3.32
290.38%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿51.6
$0.68LYD 4.35
125.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿50.5
$0.53LYD 3.37
183.02%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.91
$0.39LYD 2.48
151.28%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.39
$0.22LYD 1.40
136.36%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$1.23LYD 7.86
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.72LYD 4.56
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.66LYD 4.20
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.44฿149
$1.88LYD 11.97
136.17%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.32฿616
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿62.7
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68฿90.1
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sabratha
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.41฿47.46
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70฿393
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.11฿105
$0.94LYD 6.01
230.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.06
$0.89LYD 5.66
16.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.11฿474
$4.48LYD 28.53
214.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.10
$0.03LYD 0.17
4266.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿935.4K
$14.0KLYD 89.2K
98.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$16.2KLYD 103.3K
104.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sabratha
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿4,118
$31.71LYD 202
286.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.59฿457
$7.99LYD 50.9
70.09%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.70฿629
$23.19LYD 148
-19.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sabratha
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.5฿2,034
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.98฿571
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.07฿305
$4.50LYD 28.67
101.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sabratha
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$706฿23.8K
$53.2LYD 339
1227.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿531.5K
$913LYD 5,813
1631.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sabratha
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.6฿1,969
$21.31LYD 136
174.75%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.36฿1,189
$35.64LYD 227
-0.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,883
$50.9LYD 324
127.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.7฿2,816
$56.8LYD 362
47.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sabratha
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$626฿21.0K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$445฿15.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,040฿68.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿50.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,483฿117.1K
$282LYD 1,794
1136.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,577฿86.7K
$190LYD 1,210
1256.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sabratha
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$500฿16.8K
$189LYD 1,202
164.79%
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: July 12, 2026
Last update for Sabratha: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
💰Phuket pays 165% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Sabratha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $117 per month, with Sabratha cheaper across the board.
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 Sabratha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sabratha cheaper than Phuket?
Sabratha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 280% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Sabratha?
Average pay runs 165% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $53.2 in Sabratha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Sabratha?
Dining out is cheaper in Sabratha – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Sabratha?
At $329 in Sabratha versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sabratha but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sabratha the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Sabratha more family-friendly?
For families, Sabratha is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Sabratha?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Sabratha are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Sabratha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 280% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.