Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zgharta Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zgharta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,243 in Phuket versus $998 in Zgharta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,023 in Phuket versus $1,601 in Zgharta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,803 in Phuket versus $2,205 in Zgharta.

Living in Phuket is roughly 25% more expensive than in Zgharta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Zgharta 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.37 ฿147

$11.79 LBP 1.1M

-62.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.87 ฿1,107

$68.6 LBP 6.1M

-52.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.39 ฿283

$9.86 LBP 882.9K

-14.91%

Cappuccino

$2.73 ฿92.1

$4.50 LBP 402.8K

-39.33%

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

$0.88 ฿29.70

$2.38 LBP 212.6K

-63.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.97

$0.89 LBP 79.6K

-47.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.36 ฿79.3

$5.07 LBP 453.7K

-53.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿125

$4.83 LBP 432.5K

-23.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ฿61.7

$1.92 LBP 171.7K

-4.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.75

$0.92 LBP 82.1K

57.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿53.1

$2.33 LBP 208.5K

-32.19%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.7

$3.51 LBP 314.1K

-40.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.37 ฿652

$11.17 LBP 1.0M

73.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿115

$10.63 LBP 951.3K

-67.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.96 ฿369

$14.96 LBP 1.3M

-26.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 ฿101

$3.03 LBP 271.0K

-0.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿55.1

$1.71 LBP 152.7K

-4.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿74.3

$1.68 LBP 150.3K

31.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.5

$1.49 LBP 133.1K

42.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿49.52

$1.20 LBP 107.3K

22.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 ฿44.53

$1.52 LBP 136.5K

-13.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿36.06

$1.21 LBP 108.2K

-11.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.68

$0.68 LBP 60.6K

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿148

$3.05 LBP 272.8K

43.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 ฿626

$11.12 LBP 995.5K

67.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 ฿58.8

$1.28 LBP 114.9K

36.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ฿96.2

$2.49 LBP 223.1K

14.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿76.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿774

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 ฿99.1

$4.87 LBP 435.6K

-39.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.96

$2.29 LBP 205.2K

-53.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿129

$22.84 LBP 2.0M

-83.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ฿49.14

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

41.75%

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

$27.2K ฿915.5K

$53.9K LBP 4.8B

-49.53%

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

$26.6K ฿896.7K

$32.4K LBP 2.9B

-17.81%

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

$102 ฿3,433

$229 LBP 20.5M

-55.48%

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

$10.96 ฿369

$21.86 LBP 2.0M

-49.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.89 ฿569

$38.56 LBP 3.5M

-56.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ฿1,765

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 ฿253

$9.81 LBP 878.0K

-23.34%

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

$547 ฿18.4K

$693 LBP 62.0M

-21.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.9K

$10.5K LBP 940.0M

7.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 ฿2,129

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

-7.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.23 ฿984

$48.50 LBP 4.3M

-39.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.8 ฿3,294

$136 LBP 12.2M

-28.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 ฿2,919

$122 LBP 10.9M

-29.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 ฿40.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,577 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,541 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$489 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 28, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: September 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $69.0 in Zgharta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $276 per month, with Phuket 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 Zgharta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zgharta is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,865 in Phuket and $1,497 in Zgharta 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 $547 in Phuket versus $693 in Zgharta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zgharta – a meal for two runs $69.0 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $998 in Zgharta versus $1,243 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zgharta but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zgharta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zgharta 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 Zgharta 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 Zgharta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.