Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zabol Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zabol

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $477 in Zabol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $764 in Zabol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,052 in Zabol.

Living in Phuket is roughly 165% more expensive than in Zabol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Zabol 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.60 ฿154

$2.05 $2.05

124.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.86 ฿1,164

$15.85 $15.85

119.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.57 ฿286

$3.45 $3.45

148.41%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 $1.11

Cappuccino

$2.82 ฿94.1

$0.52 $0.52

442.31%

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

$0.78 ฿25.99

$0.50 $0.50

56.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.89

$1.10 $1.10

-56.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿80.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿59.7

$0.66 $0.66

171.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.93

$0.44 $0.44

220.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.3

$1.91 $1.91

-16.23%

Eggs

$2.20 ฿73.6

$0.99 $0.99

122.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.64 ฿656

$3.01 $3.01

552.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.50 ฿117

$3.05 $3.05

14.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.24 ฿375

$11.06 $11.06

1.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 ฿95.6

$0.90 $0.90

217.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.34 $1.34

25.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿77.1

$0.77 $0.77

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿70.1

$0.53 $0.53

296.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿49.36

$0.62 $0.62

138.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 ฿44.94

$0.50 $0.50

170.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.90

$0.49 $0.49

118.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ฿19.24

$0.18 $0.18

222.22%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.65 $0.65

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 $0.60

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 $1.38

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿144

$2.85 $2.85

51.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.67 ฿624

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ฿92.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.19 ฿73.0

$0.19 $0.19

1052.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿767

$5.79 $5.79

296.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.40 $0.40

657.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$0.28 $0.28

264.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 ฿131

$1.98 $1.98

97.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.69

$0.09 $0.09

1488.89%

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

$27.2K ฿908.9K

$52.8K $52.8K

-48.46%

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

$26.9K ฿897.7K

$46.1K $46.1K

-41.64%

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

$102 ฿3,413

$12.74 $12.74

702.20%

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

$10.95 ฿366

$1.79 $1.79

511.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.06 ฿570

$4.19 $4.19

307.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.2 ฿1,777

$17.75 $17.75

199.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.11 ฿371

$11.93 $11.93

-6.87%

Cinema Ticket

$7.82 ฿261

$1.88 $1.88

315.96%

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

$552 ฿18.4K

$115 $115

380.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.4K ฿381.8K

$807 $807

1316.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,083

$24.17 $24.17

157.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.98 ฿968

$24.85 $24.85

16.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ฿3,261

$94.1 $94.1

3.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.3 ฿2,951

$58.4 $58.4

51.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 ฿24.9K

$290 $290

157.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 ฿16.0K

$193 $193

149.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 ฿70.5K

$543 $543

288.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,195 ฿39.9K

$319 $319

274.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,579 ฿119.5K

$1,127 $1,127

217.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,576 ฿86.0K

$617 $617

317.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$509 ฿17.0K

$147 $147

245.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-75.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 3, 2026

Last update for Zabol: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $290 in Zabol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 235% 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 $16.00 in Zabol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $105 per month, with Zabol 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 Zabol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zabol is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 165% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 235% 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 $290 in Zabol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $115 in Zabol. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 176% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $477 in Zabol versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zabol but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zabol the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zabol 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 Zabol 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 Zabol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 165% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.