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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,095 in Zahlah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,704 in Zahlah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,313 in Zahlah.

Living in Phuket is roughly 15% more expensive than in Zahlah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Zahlah 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$11.02 LBP 986.1K

-59.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$58.9 LBP 5.3M

-22.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.82 LBP 700.0K

12.02%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$3.29 LBP 294.3K

-9.73%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.63 LBP 145.8K

-57.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.87 LBP 78.0K

-55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$3.57 LBP 319.3K

-29.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.02 LBP 181.0K

85.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

112.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.84 LBP 75.3K

116.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

19.78%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$3.06 LBP 274.1K

-26.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$11.24 LBP 1.0M

77.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$9.51 LBP 851.2K

-61.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$11.55 LBP 1.0M

17.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.72 LBP 154.1K

88.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.47 LBP 131.2K

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

106.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.04 LBP 92.9K

99.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$0.99 LBP 88.9K

56.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.01 LBP 90.0K

44.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.81 LBP 72.3K

20.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.56 LBP 49.9K

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.57 LBP 229.9K

69.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$9.91 LBP 887.3K

87.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.27 LBP 113.9K

46.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.22 LBP 198.9K

19.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$5.09 LBP 455.2K

-37.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.22 LBP 109.6K

-15.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$19.97 LBP 1.8M

-30.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$0.88 LBP 79.2K

52.27%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$34.7K LBP 3.1B

-19.89%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.9K LBP 2.5B

19.61%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$217 LBP 19.4M

-43.16%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$36.97 LBP 3.3M

-62.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$36.82 LBP 3.3M

-50.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$8.17 LBP 731.0K

8.57%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$300 LBP 26.9M

129.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$4,530 LBP 405.4M

248.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$69.9 LBP 6.3M

-15.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$45.20 LBP 4.0M

-23.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$121 LBP 10.8M

-4.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$95.0 LBP 8.5M

-11.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$201 LBP 17.9M

122.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$393 LBP 35.2M

280.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Zahlah: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $59.0 in Zahlah. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $227, 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,642 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 $688 in Phuket versus $300 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 $59.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,095 in Zahlah versus $1,264 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 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.