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 $1,139 in Zepce.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,709 in Zepce.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,279 in Zepce.

Living in Phuket is roughly 11% more expensive than in Zepce, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Zepce 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿153

$9.96 BAM 16.73

-53.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,060

$52.9 BAM 88.9

-39.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿286

$11.23 BAM 18.87

-22.71%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.4

$1.92 BAM 3.23

51.04%

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

$0.84 ฿27.78

$2.58 BAM 4.33

-67.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.10

$1.67 BAM 2.81

-70.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿81.7

$2.56 BAM 4.29

-3.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.59 BAM 6.03

3.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.0

$1.49 BAM 2.50

26.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.36

$1.26 BAM 2.12

11.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.4

$1.68 BAM 2.82

-3.57%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.8

$2.92 BAM 4.91

-23.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿653

$10.04 BAM 16.86

97.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$8.82 BAM 14.82

-60.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿374

$14.33 BAM 24.08

-20.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.4

$1.91 BAM 3.20

51.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.8

$1.99 BAM 3.34

-13.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.8

$2.30 BAM 3.87

-1.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.2

$1.75 BAM 2.93

21.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.53

$1.05 BAM 1.77

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.73

$1.41 BAM 2.37

0.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.11

$1.17 BAM 1.97

-5.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.68

$0.88 BAM 1.47

-31.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$3.94 BAM 6.62

9.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿612

$8.21 BAM 13.78

126.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.3

$1.04 BAM 1.75

73.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿97.6

$1.40 BAM 2.36

112.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿73.9

$1.35 BAM 2.26

66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿773

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.80 BAM 3.02

72.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.42

$1.17 BAM 1.96

-7.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿127

$18.02 BAM 30.27

-78.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.97

$1.68 BAM 2.82

-14.88%

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

$27.8K ฿914.4K

$31.0K BAM 52.1K

-10.42%

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

$27.0K ฿888.0K

$22.0K BAM 36.9K

22.74%

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

$105 ฿3,449

$165 BAM 276

-36.30%

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

$11.39 ฿375

$16.96 BAM 28.49

-32.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿577

$37.72 BAM 63.4

-53.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,788

$34.03 BAM 57.2

59.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿377

$11.97 BAM 20.11

-4.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿256

$3.00 BAM 5.03

159.33%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$299 BAM 503

92.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.2K

$3,694 BAM 6,204

213.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,094

$84.7 BAM 142

-24.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿958

$37.39 BAM 62.8

-22.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,167

$111 BAM 187

-13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,962

$147 BAM 247

-38.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.1K

$361 BAM 607

103.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$258 BAM 434

94.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.0K

$537 BAM 902

295.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.2K

$379 BAM 636

230.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.3K

$2,538 BAM 4,263

39.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.3K

$1,846 BAM 3,101

42.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.44

25.45%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Zepce: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $361 in Zepce. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $53.0 in Zepce. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $248, with Zepce 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 Zepce: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zepce is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,709 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: $733 in Phuket versus $361 in Zepce. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $299 in Zepce. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zepce – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,139 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 11% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.