๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,602 in ล umperk.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,283 in ล umperk.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,964 in ล umperk.
๐Living in Phuket costs roughly 21% less than in ล umperk, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, ล umperk is 20% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Phuket
ล umperk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70เธฟ154
$8.85Kฤย 184
-46.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37เธฟ1,483
$44.69Kฤย 932
1.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43เธฟ276
$8.69Kฤย 181
-2.99%
Cappuccino
$2.93เธฟ95.7
$2.95Kฤย 61.5
-0.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69เธฟ22.42
$1.84Kฤย 38.40
-62.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37เธฟ12.00
$1.38Kฤย 28.74
-73.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41เธฟ78.7
$2.22Kฤย 46.20
8.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72เธฟ122
$2.58Kฤย 53.8
44.19%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
ล umperk
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23เธฟ73.0
$1.09Kฤย 22.79
104.59%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83เธฟ59.9
$1.36Kฤย 28.42
34.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17เธฟ70.9
$2.18Kฤย 45.50
-0.46%
Eggs
$2.21เธฟ72.4
$2.94Kฤย 61.2
-24.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74เธฟ645
$12.65Kฤย 264
56.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63เธฟ119
$9.28Kฤย 194
-60.88%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53เธฟ442
$12.67Kฤย 264
6.79%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28เธฟ107
$1.73Kฤย 36.09
89.60%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61เธฟ52.7
$1.72Kฤย 35.90
-6.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41เธฟ78.7
$2.16Kฤย 45.03
11.57%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08เธฟ68.1
$3.36Kฤย 70.0
-38.10%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53เธฟ49.97
$1.26Kฤย 26.33
21.43%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48เธฟ48.41
$1.19Kฤย 24.71
24.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99เธฟ32.32
$1.58Kฤย 33.00
-37.34%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51เธฟ16.68
$0.73Kฤย 15.18
-30.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41เธฟ144
$6.87Kฤย 143
-35.81%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38เธฟ634
$6.88Kฤย 143
181.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78เธฟ58.1
$0.87Kฤย 18.10
104.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71เธฟ88.7
$1.80Kฤย 37.56
50.56%
๐ Getting Around
Phuket
ล umperk
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37เธฟ44.83
$1.14Kฤย 23.67
20.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39เธฟ372
$25.61Kฤย 534
-55.53%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02เธฟ98.7
$1.97Kฤย 41.15
53.30%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99เธฟ32.51
$1.27Kฤย 26.55
-22.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10เธฟ461
$14.06Kฤย 293
0.28%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36เธฟ44.55
$1.66Kฤย 34.63
-18.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2Kเธฟ921.9K
$28.5KKฤย 594.9K
-1.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kเธฟ1.1M
$30.1KKฤย 627.2K
9.36%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
ล umperk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122เธฟ3,978
$297Kฤย 6,188
-59.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57เธฟ444
$26.98Kฤย 562
-49.70%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31เธฟ599
$20.06Kฤย 418
-8.72%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
ล umperk
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2เธฟ1,969
$54.6Kฤย 1,138
10.33%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14เธฟ560
$17.11Kฤย 357
0.18%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69เธฟ284
$9.67Kฤย 202
-10.13%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
ล umperk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693เธฟ22.7K
$411Kฤย 8,576
68.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7Kเธฟ512.8K
$9,932Kฤย 207.1K
57.95%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
ล umperk
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5เธฟ1,946
$82.7Kฤย 1,724
-28.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77เธฟ1,137
$38.05Kฤย 793
-8.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115เธฟ3,746
$89.1Kฤย 1,858
28.62%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3เธฟ2,723
$110Kฤย 2,289
-24.15%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
ล umperk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613เธฟ20.0K
$673Kฤย 14.0K
-8.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437เธฟ14.3K
$552Kฤย 11.5K
-20.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094เธฟ68.5K
$1,189Kฤย 24.8K
76.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509เธฟ49.3K
$872Kฤย 18.2K
73.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749เธฟ122.6K
$4,619Kฤย 96.3K
-18.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616เธฟ85.5K
$3,185Kฤย 66.4K
-17.88%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
ล umperk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508เธฟ16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.5
-3.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for ล umperk: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $673 in ล umperk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in ล umperk. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $255, with ล umperk cheaper for home cooking.
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 umperk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is ล umperk cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $2,403 in ล umperk 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 umperk?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $673 in ล umperk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $411 in ล umperk. 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 umperk?
Shoppers in ล umperk pay roughly 15% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or ล umperk?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,602 in ล umperk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in ล umperk. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or ล umperk more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in ล umperk, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or ล umperk?
Safety-wise, Phuket and ล umperk 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 27% less than in ล umperk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.