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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,008 in Zepce.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,530 in Zepce.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,053 in Zepce.

Living in Phuket is roughly 26% more expensive than Zepce, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$8.64 BAM 14.51

-45.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$41.42 BAM 69.6

9.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$9.03 BAM 15.17

-6.64%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.57 BAM 2.64

86.62%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.94 BAM 3.25

-64.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.15 BAM 1.94

-67.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.10 BAM 3.53

14.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.78 BAM 4.66

33.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.34 BAM 2.26

66.42%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.27 BAM 2.14

44.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.56 BAM 2.63

39.10%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.00 BAM 5.04

-26.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$9.35 BAM 15.72

111.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.56 BAM 14.39

-57.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$12.10 BAM 20.33

11.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.43 BAM 2.40

129.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.63 BAM 2.74

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.94 BAM 3.26

24.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.02 BAM 3.39

2.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.20 BAM 2.02

27.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.27 BAM 2.13

16.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.22 BAM 2.05

-18.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.77 BAM 1.29

-33.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.77 BAM 6.33

16.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$8.24 BAM 13.85

135.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.71 BAM 1.19

150.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.14 BAM 1.91

137.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.76 BAM 2.95

-22.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$35.83 BAM 60.2

-68.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.50 BAM 2.52

101.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.15 BAM 1.94

-13.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$8.77 BAM 14.74

60.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.47 BAM 2.47

-7.48%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$28.7K BAM 48.2K

-1.69%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.4K BAM 44.3K

24.76%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$169 BAM 284

-28.00%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$18.80 BAM 31.59

-27.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$23.60 BAM 39.66

-22.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$29.62 BAM 49.76

103.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$11.09 BAM 18.64

54.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$2.90 BAM 4.87

199.66%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$240 BAM 404

188.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$3,688 BAM 6,196

325.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$74.5 BAM 125

-20.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$37.25 BAM 62.6

-6.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$89.6 BAM 151

27.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$123 BAM 206

-32.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$259 BAM 436

136.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$166 BAM 280

162.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$361 BAM 607

479.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$320 BAM 538

371.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,375 BAM 3,991

57.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,822 BAM 3,061

43.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zepce: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $259 in Zepce. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $41.00 in Zepce for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $229 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 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,512 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: $613 in Phuket versus $259 in Zepce. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $240 in Zepce. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,008 in Zepce versus $1,265 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 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.