Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zaltan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zaltan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $364 in Zaltan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $564 in Zaltan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $764 in Zaltan.

Living in Phuket is roughly 239% more expensive than in Zaltan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Zaltan 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.90 LYD 24.72

13.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$14.77 LYD 93.6

118.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$2.49 LYD 15.77

258.63%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.65 LYD 4.12

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.60 LYD 3.82

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$0.43 LYD 2.72

574.42%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.42 LYD 2.65

109.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.09 LYD 0.58

433.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.97 LYD 6.15

92.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.20 LYD 1.27

635.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.17 LYD 7.41

32.48%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.34 LYD 8.51

56.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$5.06 LYD 32.07

287.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.24 LYD 20.53

5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$9.88 LYD 62.6

15.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$2.25 LYD 14.26

32.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.49 LYD 9.46

12.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$0.72 LYD 4.56

206.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.56 LYD 3.52

285.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.67 LYD 4.25

126.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.49 LYD 3.11

173.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.43 LYD 2.72

162.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.16 LYD 1.04

243.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.85 LYD 11.71

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 LYD 6.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.85 LYD 5.39

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$1.98 LYD 12.57

115.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.83 LYD 5.25

265.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.46 LYD 2.91

121.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.02 LYD 0.11

7350.00%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$23.9K LYD 151.6K

11.10%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$14.1K LYD 89.1K

92.33%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$95.8 LYD 607

6.96%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$5.86 LYD 37.15

93.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$27.16 LYD 172

-35.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$52.5 LYD 333

968.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$618 LYD 3,918

1761.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$20.50 LYD 130

207.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$17.57 LYD 111

68.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$54.6 LYD 346

79.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$66.1 LYD 419

33.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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: September 15, 2026

Last update for Zaltan: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $15.00 in Zaltan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $115 per month, with Zaltan 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 Zaltan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zaltan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 239% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $546 in Zaltan 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 $561 in Phuket versus $52.5 in Zaltan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zaltan – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $364 in Zaltan versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zaltan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zaltan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zaltan 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 Zaltan 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 Zaltan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 239% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.