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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $905 in Zgharta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,431 in Zgharta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,957 in Zgharta.

Living in Phuket is roughly 36% more expensive than Zgharta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Zgharta 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$10.97 LBP 981.7K

-57.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$61.1 LBP 5.5M

-23.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$7.96 LBP 712.0K

11.06%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$3.43 LBP 306.9K

-12.54%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.59 LBP 142.6K

-53.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.92 LBP 82.5K

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.60 LBP 321.9K

-32.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$4.90 LBP 438.8K

-26.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.70 LBP 152.0K

32.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.78 LBP 70.1K

135.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.74 LBP 156.0K

28.74%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$3.12 LBP 278.8K

-25.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$11.14 LBP 996.8K

76.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$9.36 LBP 837.7K

-61.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$11.46 LBP 1.0M

14.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.79 LBP 160.5K

89.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.53 LBP 137.0K

7.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.09 LBP 97.8K

121.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.09 LBP 97.9K

86.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.02 LBP 91.1K

52.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.04 LBP 93.2K

44.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.86 LBP 77.3K

18.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.52 LBP 46.3K

-5.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.44 LBP 218.7K

82.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$10.84 LBP 970.1K

74.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.27 LBP 114.1K

40.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.15 LBP 192.0K

27.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$5.02 LBP 449.2K

-37.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.28 LBP 114.4K

-21.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$19.70 LBP 1.8M

-28.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.87 LBP 78.3K

55.17%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$35.3K LBP 3.2B

-22.90%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.8K LBP 2.5B

18.28%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$212 LBP 19.0M

-41.01%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$37.94 LBP 3.4M

-64.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$37.69 LBP 3.4M

-50.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$7.91 LBP 708.0K

16.18%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$302 LBP 27.0M

131.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$4,479 LBP 400.9M

248.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$70.9 LBP 6.3M

-18.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$44.38 LBP 4.0M

-20.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$122 LBP 10.9M

-7.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$92.8 LBP 8.3M

-6.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.16

-52.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $61.0 in Zgharta. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $234, with Zgharta 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 Zgharta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zgharta is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,357 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 $698 in Phuket versus $302 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 $61.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $905 in Zgharta versus $1,232 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 36% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.