Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zepce Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zepce

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,005 in Zepce.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,544 in Zepce.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,083 in Zepce.

Living in Phuket is roughly 24% more expensive than in Zepce, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Zepce 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$8.63 BAM 14.77

-47.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$41.27 BAM 70.7

11.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.94 BAM 15.32

-1.12%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.57 BAM 2.69

94.90%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.99 BAM 3.41

-63.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.20 BAM 2.06

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.12 BAM 3.63

14.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.87 BAM 4.92

31.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.36 BAM 2.33

66.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.29 BAM 2.21

40.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.65 BAM 2.83

36.36%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.92 BAM 5.01

-22.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.26 BAM 15.86

110.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$8.96 BAM 15.34

-59.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.87 BAM 20.33

9.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.38 BAM 2.37

134.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.60 BAM 2.74

1.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.95 BAM 3.33

22.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.94 BAM 3.33

4.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.24 BAM 2.13

23.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.25 BAM 2.15

20.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.28 BAM 2.20

-23.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.76 BAM 1.30

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.64 BAM 6.23

21.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.36 BAM 14.32

119.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.71 BAM 1.21

161.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.09 BAM 1.87

145.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.77 BAM 3.03

-20.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$34.81 BAM 59.6

-66.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.44 BAM 2.46

115.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.16 BAM 1.99

-10.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$8.81 BAM 15.09

60.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.53 BAM 2.62

-14.38%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$28.4K BAM 48.7K

-2.12%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$27.1K BAM 46.5K

22.44%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$171 BAM 293

-28.54%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$18.89 BAM 32.36

-28.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$23.98 BAM 41.07

-22.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$29.94 BAM 51.3

102.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$10.95 BAM 18.75

55.07%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$2.88 BAM 4.94

214.93%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$236 BAM 404

199.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$3,638 BAM 6,230

334.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$75.7 BAM 130

-22.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$35.88 BAM 61.5

-1.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$88.0 BAM 151

31.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$125 BAM 214

-32.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$256 BAM 439

144.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$167 BAM 286

166.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$370 BAM 634

451.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$313 BAM 536

376.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,872 BAM 4,919

21.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,967 BAM 3,368

31.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.02

6.18%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zepce: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $256 in Zepce. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $41.00 in Zepce for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $230 per month, with Zepce 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 Zepce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zepce is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,507 in Zepce 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $256 in Zepce. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $236 in Zepce. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,005 in Zepce versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zepce but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zepce the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zepce 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 Zepce 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 Zepce gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.