Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and ล kofja Loka Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and ล kofja Loka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,696 in ล kofja Loka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,567 in ล kofja Loka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $3,438 in ล kofja Loka.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 26% less than in ล kofja Loka, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, ล kofja Loka is 26% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Phuket
ล kofja Loka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56 เธฟ149
$13.92 โ‚ฌ11.99
-67.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63 เธฟ1,519
$58.8 โ‚ฌ50.7
-20.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.47 เธฟ276
$9.15 โ‚ฌ7.88
-7.43%
Cappuccino
$3.03 เธฟ98.6
$2.64 โ‚ฌ2.28
14.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 เธฟ22.45
$3.11 โ‚ฌ2.68
-77.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 เธฟ11.92
$2.00 โ‚ฌ1.72
-81.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.49 เธฟ81.0
$3.43 โ‚ฌ2.95
-27.41%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 เธฟ119
$4.57 โ‚ฌ3.94
-19.91%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
ล kofja Loka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 เธฟ71.0
$1.31 โ‚ฌ1.13
66.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 เธฟ62.0
$1.67 โ‚ฌ1.44
13.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 เธฟ71.6
$2.78 โ‚ฌ2.40
-20.86%
Eggs
$2.22 เธฟ72.4
$3.40 โ‚ฌ2.93
-34.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.99 เธฟ651
$18.86 โ‚ฌ16.25
5.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.66 เธฟ119
$10.22 โ‚ฌ8.80
-64.19%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.25 เธฟ432
$15.72 โ‚ฌ13.55
-15.71%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 เธฟ105
$2.01 โ‚ฌ1.73
60.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 เธฟ55.3
$1.71 โ‚ฌ1.47
-0.58%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 เธฟ78.0
$2.23 โ‚ฌ1.92
7.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 เธฟ67.7
$3.52 โ‚ฌ3.03
-40.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.59 เธฟ51.8
$1.38 โ‚ฌ1.19
15.22%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 เธฟ48.31
$1.61 โ‚ฌ1.39
-8.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 เธฟ33.54
$1.66 โ‚ฌ1.43
-37.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 เธฟ16.83
$1.00 โ‚ฌ0.86
-48.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25 เธฟ138
$5.90 โ‚ฌ5.09
-27.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 เธฟ612
$6.81 โ‚ฌ5.87
175.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 เธฟ57.2
$1.45 โ‚ฌ1.25
21.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 เธฟ89.8
$2.00 โ‚ฌ1.73
38.00%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Phuket
ล kofja Loka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 เธฟ44.32
$1.44 โ‚ฌ1.24
-5.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.36 เธฟ370
$32.00 โ‚ฌ27.57
-64.50%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 เธฟ102
$1.77 โ‚ฌ1.53
77.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 เธฟ33.74
$1.11 โ‚ฌ0.96
-6.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.77 เธฟ448
$19.70 โ‚ฌ16.97
-30.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 เธฟ43.79
$1.66 โ‚ฌ1.43
-19.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K เธฟ901.4K
$25.6K โ‚ฌ22.1K
7.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K เธฟ1.1M
$29.0K โ‚ฌ25.0K
16.76%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
ล kofja Loka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 เธฟ4,025
$287 โ‚ฌ247
-56.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52 เธฟ440
$14.68 โ‚ฌ12.65
-7.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69 เธฟ609
$38.26 โ‚ฌ32.97
-51.15%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
ล kofja Loka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.8 เธฟ2,013
$50.8 โ‚ฌ43.79
21.65%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25 เธฟ562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14 เธฟ298
$8.30 โ‚ฌ7.15
10.12%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
ล kofja Loka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$703 เธฟ22.9K
$514 โ‚ฌ443
36.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K เธฟ517.0K
$8,589 โ‚ฌ7,400
84.79%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
ล kofja Loka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 เธฟ1,937
$115 โ‚ฌ99.4
-48.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07 เธฟ1,142
$45.14 โ‚ฌ38.89
-22.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 เธฟ3,754
$119 โ‚ฌ103
-3.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1 เธฟ2,737
$141 โ‚ฌ121
-40.24%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Phuket
ล kofja Loka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 เธฟ20.1K
$675 โ‚ฌ582
-8.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$433 เธฟ14.1K
$534 โ‚ฌ460
-19.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 เธฟ67.2K
$1,132 โ‚ฌ975
82.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 เธฟ49.2K
$946 โ‚ฌ815
59.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,646 เธฟ118.7K
$3,251 โ‚ฌ2,801
12.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,626 เธฟ85.5K
$3,706 โ‚ฌ3,193
-29.15%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
ล kofja Loka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$507 เธฟ16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
3.65
46.03%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for ล kofja Loka: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $675 in ล kofja Loka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $59.0 in ล kofja Loka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $307 per month, with Phuket 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 ล kofja Loka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is ล kofja Loka cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $2,543 in ล kofja Loka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and ล kofja Loka?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $675 in ล kofja Loka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $514 in ล kofja Loka. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and ล kofja Loka?
Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in ล kofja Loka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or ล kofja Loka?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,696 in ล kofja Loka, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in ล kofja Loka. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or ล kofja Loka more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in ล kofja Loka, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or ล kofja Loka?
Safety-wise, Phuket and ล kofja Loka 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 34% less than in ล kofja Loka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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