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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $986 in Zgharta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,591 in Zgharta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $2,196 in Zgharta.

Living in Phuket is roughly 28% more expensive than in Zgharta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Zgharta 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$12.04 LBP 1.1M

-63.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$64.1 LBP 5.7M

-45.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$9.83 LBP 879.9K

-8.85%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$4.43 LBP 396.1K

-32.28%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$2.39 LBP 214.2K

-67.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.91 LBP 81.6K

-48.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$4.82 LBP 431.3K

-50.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$4.72 LBP 422.1K

-20.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.88 LBP 168.2K

-3.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.82 LBP 73.3K

73.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$2.20 LBP 197.3K

-29.55%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$3.88 LBP 347.4K

-45.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$13.61 LBP 1.2M

45.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$10.63 LBP 951.1K

-67.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$14.31 LBP 1.3M

-22.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$3.12 LBP 279.4K

-6.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.72 LBP 154.0K

-3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.66 LBP 148.8K

36.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.47 LBP 131.2K

42.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$1.42 LBP 126.7K

3.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.64 LBP 146.4K

-14.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$1.20 LBP 107.5K

-9.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.69 LBP 61.5K

-21.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$2.96 LBP 265.2K

51.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$10.01 LBP 896.3K

87.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.34 LBP 119.8K

37.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.51 LBP 224.6K

17.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$4.97 LBP 445.1K

-38.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$2.28 LBP 203.9K

-52.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$22.32 LBP 2.0M

-82.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.03 LBP 91.8K

44.66%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$53.3K LBP 4.8B

-48.55%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$33.0K LBP 3.0B

-16.55%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$229 LBP 20.5M

-55.60%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$23.53 LBP 2.1M

-52.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$37.88 LBP 3.4M

-53.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$10.01 LBP 896.3K

-21.58%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$676 LBP 60.5M

-14.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$10.6K LBP 950.4M

9.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$68.8 LBP 6.2M

-4.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$48.45 LBP 4.3M

-40.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$139 LBP 12.4M

-28.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$119 LBP 10.7M

-24.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿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: August 18, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $64.0 in Zgharta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $280 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $1,479 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 $577 in Phuket versus $676 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 $64.0 versus $35.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $986 in Zgharta versus $1,261 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 28% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.