Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zahlah Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zahlah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,085 in Zahlah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,703 in Zahlah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,320 in Zahlah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 16% more expensive than Zahlah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Zahlah 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$10.89 LBP 974.2K

-58.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$60.3 LBP 5.4M

-22.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.08 LBP 723.4K

4.83%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.38 LBP 302.6K

-10.36%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.60 LBP 143.2K

-56.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.92 LBP 82.0K

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.40 LBP 304.6K

-26.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.03 LBP 181.6K

80.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.99 LBP 88.3K

120.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.86 LBP 76.6K

120.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.83 LBP 163.4K

20.22%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.10 LBP 277.1K

-28.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.17 LBP 1.0M

78.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$9.69 LBP 867.0K

-62.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$11.29 LBP 1.0M

17.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.75 LBP 156.6K

84.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.46 LBP 131.1K

16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.10 LBP 98.7K

117.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.04 LBP 93.5K

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.93 LBP 83.4K

70.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.99 LBP 89.0K

49.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.83 LBP 74.0K

24.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.55 LBP 49.6K

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.54 LBP 227.0K

67.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$9.85 LBP 881.5K

90.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.24 LBP 110.6K

41.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.23 LBP 200.0K

23.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$4.99 LBP 446.5K

-37.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.24 LBP 110.8K

-16.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$20.16 LBP 1.8M

-31.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.88 LBP 79.1K

52.27%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$35.1K LBP 3.1B

-21.08%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

23.08%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$213 LBP 19.0M

-41.91%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$38.04 LBP 3.4M

-64.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$37.87 LBP 3.4M

-50.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$7.97 LBP 713.0K

14.68%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$302 LBP 27.0M

132.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$4,371 LBP 391.2M

263.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$70.9 LBP 6.3M

-16.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$44.76 LBP 4.0M

-21.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$125 LBP 11.1M

-7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$95.3 LBP 8.5M

-11.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$197 LBP 17.6M

119.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$403 LBP 36.1M

274.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.16

-52.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zahlah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $60.0 in Zahlah. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $226, with Zahlah 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 Zahlah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zahlah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,628 in Zahlah to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $302 in Zahlah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zahlah – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,085 in Zahlah versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zahlah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zahlah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zahlah 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 Zahlah 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 Zahlah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.