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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $847 in Tripoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,334 in Tripoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,821 in Tripoli.

Living in Phuket is roughly 49% more expensive than in Tripoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Tripoli 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.62 LBP 413.4K

-3.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$37.54 LBP 3.4M

21.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.17 LBP 730.8K

7.22%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.52 LBP 225.9K

17.86%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.52 LBP 135.8K

-54.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.86 LBP 77.1K

-54.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.52 LBP 314.7K

-28.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$4.89 LBP 437.2K

-23.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.27 LBP 113.6K

69.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.31 LBP 28.1K

487.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$0.91 LBP 81.4K

139.56%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.63 LBP 145.8K

38.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$5.76 LBP 515.8K

247.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.98 LBP 535.5K

-39.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$9.92 LBP 887.9K

36.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.01 LBP 90.6K

220.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.53 LBP 47.2K

209.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$0.49 LBP 43.5K

375.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$0.90 LBP 80.2K

130.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.55 LBP 49.5K

181.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$0.80 LBP 71.7K

82.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.31 LBP 28.0K

216.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.41 LBP 36.7K

17.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.49 LBP 222.7K

74.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$10.13 LBP 907.0K

83.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.24 LBP 110.8K

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.14 LBP 191.4K

23.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.98 LBP 87.6K

44.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$4.97 LBP 445.1K

-36.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.22 LBP 109.1K

-15.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$19.68 LBP 1.8M

-29.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.96 LBP 86.1K

39.58%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$22.7K LBP 2.0B

22.69%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$20.4K LBP 1.8B

63.64%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$213 LBP 19.1M

-42.31%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$21.92 LBP 2.0M

-37.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$37.61 LBP 3.4M

-51.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$19.80 LBP 1.8M

206.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$12.43 LBP 1.1M

38.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.39 LBP 571.8K

38.81%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$136 LBP 12.1M

407.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$2,035 LBP 182.1M

675.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$34.47 LBP 3.1M

72.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$45.11 LBP 4.0M

-23.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$84.0 LBP 7.5M

37.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$75.3 LBP 6.7M

11.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$246 LBP 22.0M

152.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$150 LBP 13.5M

196.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$752 LBP 67.3M

170.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$378 LBP 33.8M

295.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,168 LBP 104.5M

195.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$875 LBP 78.3M

189.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$447 LBP 40.0M

10.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-46.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $246 in Tripoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 10% 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 $38.00 in Tripoli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $158 per month, with Tripoli 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 Tripoli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tripoli is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% 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: $621 in Phuket versus $246 in Tripoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $136 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 $38.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $847 in Tripoli versus $1,264 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 49% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.