Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vientiane Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Vientiane

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,082 in Vientiane.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,640 in Vientiane.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,197 in Vientiane.

Living in Phuket is roughly 14% more expensive than in Vientiane, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Vientiane 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$2.47 LAK 55.1K

78.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$17.82 LAK 397.1K

81.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$5.44 LAK 121.3K

64.15%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.68 LAK 37.4K

72.62%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.75 LAK 16.6K

17.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.36 LAK 7,920

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$1.39 LAK 31.0K

69.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$1.84 LAK 41.0K

102.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.06 LAK 46.0K

-9.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.17 LAK 26.1K

25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.05 LAK 23.3K

47.62%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.90 LAK 42.3K

10.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$27.58 LAK 614.8K

-28.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.29 LAK 140.1K

-45.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$6.78 LAK 151.1K

67.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.36 LAK 52.5K

26.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.11 LAK 24.8K

51.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$2.56 LAK 57.0K

-13.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.57 LAK 35.0K

37.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.45 LAK 32.2K

4.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.06 LAK 23.6K

26.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.56 LAK 12.6K

101.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.36 LAK 8,070

52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.81 LAK 40.3K

135.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.01 LAK 223.2K

90.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.04 LAK 23.1K

71.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.12 LAK 47.3K

31.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.43 LAK 9,603

418.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$47.80 LAK 1.1M

-52.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.33 LAK 29.6K

127.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.88 LAK 19.6K

15.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$4.38 LAK 97.7K

-11.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.38 LAK 30.8K

7.97%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$28.5K LAK 635.8M

-6.81%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$28.6K LAK 638.3M

-5.61%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$90.8 LAK 2.0M

12.83%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$33.08 LAK 737.2K

-65.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$12.21 LAK 272.1K

42.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$46.83 LAK 1.0M

11.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$7.83 LAK 174.6K

41.38%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$4.15 LAK 92.5K

85.30%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$616 LAK 13.7M

-9.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$11.0K LAK 244.6M

4.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$27.35 LAK 609.6K

130.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$66.2 LAK 1.5M

-55.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$55.8 LAK 1.2M

75.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$41.57 LAK 926.6K

112.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$657 LAK 14.6M

12.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$412 LAK 9.2M

17.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,229 LAK 27.4M

71.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$761 LAK 17.0M

61.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$2,284 LAK 50.9M

58.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$1,141 LAK 25.4M

128.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$270 LAK 6.0M

82.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-44.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Vientiane: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $657 in Vientiane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 83% 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 $18.00 in Vientiane for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $258 per month, with Vientiane 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 Vientiane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Vientiane is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 83% 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 $657 in Vientiane. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $616 in Vientiane. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,082 in Vientiane versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Vientiane but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Vientiane the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Vientiane 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 Vientiane 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 Vientiane gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.