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: $1,253 in Phuket versus $530 in Tripoli.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $804 in Tripoli.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,079 in Tripoli.

Living in Phuket is roughly 137% more expensive than in Tripoli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Tripoli 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$3.88 LYD 24.59

17.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$14.99 LYD 94.9

117.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$2.49 LYD 15.77

257.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.62 LYD 3.91

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 LYD 3.82

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$0.44 LYD 2.76

536.36%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.42 LYD 2.65

109.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.09 LYD 0.59

444.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$0.94 LYD 5.96

90.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.20 LYD 1.27

620.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.12 LYD 7.10

41.07%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.33 LYD 8.44

60.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$5.03 LYD 31.87

296.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$3.27 LYD 20.73

4.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$9.86 LYD 62.4

14.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$2.32 LYD 14.70

27.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.51 LYD 9.55

13.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$0.71 LYD 4.47

226.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$0.55 LYD 3.50

278.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.71 LYD 4.47

107.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$0.46 LYD 2.90

195.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.43 LYD 2.70

155.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.19 LYD 1.17

200.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.77 LYD 11.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 LYD 6.56

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 LYD 5.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.00 LYD 12.64

113.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$0.32 LYD 2.04

593.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$0.80 LYD 5.08

278.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$0.45 LYD 2.86

137.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$0.02 LYD 0.11

7350.00%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$24.0K LYD 152.0K

13.04%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$14.1K LYD 89.2K

94.86%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$96.2 LYD 609

6.87%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$5.63 LYD 35.65

95.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$27.89 LYD 177

-37.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$23.88 LYD 151

124.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$2.39 LYD 15.16

368.62%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$53.6 LYD 339

939.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$623 LYD 3,945

1802.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$20.54 LYD 130

211.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$17.80 LYD 113

63.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$55.7 LYD 353

72.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$67.3 LYD 426

34.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$361 LYD 2,288

102.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$145 LYD 919

244.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$602 LYD 3,810

247.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$262 LYD 1,661

360.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$250 LYD 1,584

101.21%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tripoli: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $361 in Tripoli. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 101% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $15.00 in Tripoli for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $115 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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 137% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 101% 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: $730 in Phuket versus $361 in Tripoli. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $53.6 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 $15.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $530 in Tripoli versus $1,253 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 137% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.