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 $896 in Zgharta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,433 in Zgharta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,971 in Zgharta.

Living in Phuket is roughly 41% more expensive than Zgharta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Zgharta 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$10.86 LBP 972.3K

-58.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$59.4 LBP 5.3M

-21.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.17 LBP 731.3K

3.67%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.41 LBP 304.8K

-11.14%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.64 LBP 147.1K

-57.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.88 LBP 79.0K

-57.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.54 LBP 317.2K

-29.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$4.95 LBP 442.7K

-26.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.78 LBP 159.0K

22.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.79 LBP 71.0K

140.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.78 LBP 159.2K

23.60%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.19 LBP 285.3K

-30.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.47 LBP 1.0M

74.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$9.78 LBP 875.1K

-62.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$11.50 LBP 1.0M

15.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.78 LBP 159.4K

81.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.45 LBP 130.1K

17.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.09 LBP 97.4K

119.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.10 LBP 98.4K

89.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.92 LBP 82.8K

72.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.01 LBP 90.2K

46.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

18.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.52 LBP 46.1K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.54 LBP 227.5K

67.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$10.06 LBP 899.9K

86.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.27 LBP 114.1K

38.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.19 LBP 196.2K

26.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$4.88 LBP 436.5K

-35.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.22 LBP 109.4K

-14.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$20.24 LBP 1.8M

-31.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.89 LBP 79.7K

50.56%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$35.7K LBP 3.2B

-22.44%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$28.0K LBP 2.5B

21.03%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$218 LBP 19.5M

-43.41%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$37.70 LBP 3.4M

-64.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$36.91 LBP 3.3M

-49.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$8.18 LBP 732.2K

11.74%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$305 LBP 27.3M

130.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$4,455 LBP 398.7M

256.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$72.2 LBP 6.5M

-17.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$44.16 LBP 4.0M

-20.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$123 LBP 11.0M

-6.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$93.6 LBP 8.4M

-10.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Zgharta: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $59.0 in Zgharta. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $236, 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 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,344 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 $703 in Phuket versus $305 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 $59.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $896 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 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.