Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sabratha Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sabratha

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $401 in Sabratha.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $595 in Sabratha.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $789 in Sabratha.

Living in Phuket is roughly 216% more expensive than in Sabratha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Sabratha 71% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.14 LYD 19.82

48.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$9.28 LYD 58.6

247.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$1.61 LYD 10.18

439.13%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.61 LYD 3.82

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.65 LYD 4.11

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$0.47 LYD 2.98

517.02%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.30 LYD 1.87

180.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.08 LYD 0.49

512.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$0.94 LYD 5.94

101.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.22 LYD 1.39

540.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.13 LYD 7.14

43.36%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.35 LYD 8.49

65.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$4.98 LYD 31.44

298.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$3.26 LYD 20.55

6.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$9.59 LYD 60.6

18.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.00 LYD 12.63

45.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.55 LYD 9.80

10.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$0.77 LYD 4.83

194.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$0.51 LYD 3.24

317.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$0.46 LYD 2.89

219.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$0.32 LYD 2.05

343.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.32 LYD 2.03

243.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.15 LYD 0.92

300.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 LYD 11.65

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 LYD 6.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 LYD 5.03

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$1.85 LYD 11.67

132.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.82 LYD 5.20

174.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.81 LYD 5.10

282.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.30 LYD 1.89

260.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$0.82 LYD 5.20

371.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$0.02 LYD 0.14

7050.00%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$23.4K LYD 147.6K

18.79%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$14.2K LYD 89.6K

90.09%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$95.0 LYD 599

10.37%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$3.87 LYD 24.40

194.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$13.89 LYD 87.7

26.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$11.04 LYD 69.7

392.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$7.73 LYD 48.76

47.99%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$38.67 LYD 244

1390.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$607 LYD 3,832

1807.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$20.00 LYD 126

218.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$17.29 LYD 109

68.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$55.6 LYD 351

73.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$15.56 LYD 98.2

478.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$156 LYD 985

369.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$78.3 LYD 494

539.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$240 LYD 1,518

784.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$110 LYD 696

1035.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$287 LYD 1,812

1131.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$186 LYD 1,175

1308.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$188 LYD 1,189

169.46%

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 6, 2026

Last update for Sabratha: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $156 in Sabratha. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 169% 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 $9.00 in Sabratha for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $112 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

Sabratha is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 216% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 169% 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: $733 in Phuket versus $156 in Sabratha. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $38.67 in Sabratha. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sabratha – a meal for two runs $9.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $401 in Sabratha versus $1,265 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Sabratha gentler on the wallet – expenses run 216% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.