Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tripoli Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Tripoli

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,073 in Tripoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,625 in Tripoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,176 in Tripoli.

Living in Phuket is roughly 15% more expensive than in Tripoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Tripoli 22% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$5.14 LBP 460.0K

-14.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$50.6 LBP 4.5M

-36.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$9.22 LBP 825.4K

-3.15%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.08 LBP 365.5K

-28.92%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.52 LBP 136.2K

-42.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.86 LBP 76.9K

-44.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$5.11 LBP 457.0K

-54.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.93 LBP 441.5K

-24.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.25 LBP 111.9K

49.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.84 LBP 75.2K

75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.52 LBP 136.2K

1.97%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.18 LBP 105.9K

77.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$13.26 LBP 1.2M

47.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.34 LBP 567.7K

-46.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.79 LBP 966.1K

5.47%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.11 LBP 278.5K

-4.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.69 LBP 151.6K

-0.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.68 LBP 150.2K

31.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.52 LBP 46.3K

315.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.62 LBP 55.5K

145.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.65 LBP 147.9K

-18.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.90 LBP 80.7K

25.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.46 LBP 41.4K

19.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.02 LBP 270.0K

41.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.02 LBP 897.2K

90.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.34 LBP 119.6K

32.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.47 LBP 221.4K

12.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$5.10 LBP 456.3K

-40.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.99 LBP 88.2K

3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$20.21 LBP 1.8M

-80.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.04 LBP 92.8K

43.27%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$54.5K LBP 4.9B

-51.23%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$32.3K LBP 2.9B

-16.27%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$230 LBP 20.5M

-55.37%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$14.34 LBP 1.3M

-20.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$22.36 LBP 2.0M

-22.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$39.80 LBP 3.6M

30.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$10.03 LBP 897.4K

-23.33%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$673 LBP 60.2M

-16.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$3,414 LBP 305.5M

237.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$68.7 LBP 6.2M

-8.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$50.1 LBP 4.5M

-41.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$137 LBP 12.3M

-28.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$118 LBP 10.5M

-24.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$400 LBP 35.8M

84.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$199 LBP 17.8M

142.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$716 LBP 64.1M

194.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$348 LBP 31.1M

252.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,147 LBP 102.6M

215.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$853 LBP 76.3M

205.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$458 LBP 41.0M

7.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $400 in Tripoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 8% 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 $51.0 in Tripoli. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $217, with Tripoli 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 Tripoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tripoli is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 8% 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: $738 in Phuket versus $400 in Tripoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $673 in Tripoli. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Tripoli – a meal for two runs $51.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,073 in Tripoli versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tripoli but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Tripoli the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Tripoli 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 Tripoli 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 Tripoli gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.