Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zouk Mikael Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Zouk Mikael

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,004 in Zouk Mikael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,577 in Zouk Mikael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,150 in Zouk Mikael.

Living in Phuket is roughly 26% more expensive than in Zouk Mikael, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Zouk Mikael 27% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$11.85 LBP 1.1M

-60.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$63.5 LBP 5.7M

-49.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$10.18 LBP 911.4K

-14.73%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$4.59 LBP 411.0K

-36.82%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$2.29 LBP 205.4K

-63.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.91 LBP 81.5K

-46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$5.13 LBP 458.9K

-51.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.93 LBP 441.1K

-24.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.86 LBP 166.4K

1.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$0.90 LBP 80.4K

56.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.20 LBP 197.0K

-26.36%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.50 LBP 313.3K

-36.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$13.37 LBP 1.2M

48.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$10.39 LBP 930.0K

-66.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$13.99 LBP 1.3M

-18.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.99 LBP 267.5K

-3.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.64 LBP 146.8K

4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.68 LBP 150.4K

35.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.52 LBP 136.0K

40.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.40 LBP 125.1K

5.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.63 LBP 145.8K

-12.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.16 LBP 103.7K

-5.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.67 LBP 60.4K

-10.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.94 LBP 263.4K

46.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$9.90 LBP 885.8K

87.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.32 LBP 118.0K

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.47 LBP 220.9K

20.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$4.88 LBP 436.9K

-36.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$2.27 LBP 203.5K

-52.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$22.61 LBP 2.0M

-82.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.05 LBP 93.5K

36.19%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$53.7K LBP 4.8B

-48.22%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$32.2K LBP 2.9B

-16.21%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$229 LBP 20.5M

-54.30%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$23.00 LBP 2.1M

-50.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$38.36 LBP 3.4M

-54.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$10.18 LBP 910.7K

-23.58%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$694 LBP 62.1M

-16.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$10.9K LBP 971.5M

6.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$67.1 LBP 6.0M

-5.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$49.17 LBP 4.4M

-40.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$137 LBP 12.2M

-29.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$119 LBP 10.7M

-24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

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 6, 2026

Last update for Zouk Mikael: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $64.0 in Zouk Mikael for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $275 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 Zouk Mikael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zouk Mikael is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,506 in Zouk Mikael 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 $576 in Phuket versus $694 in Zouk Mikael. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zouk Mikael – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,004 in Zouk Mikael versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zouk Mikael but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zouk Mikael the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zouk Mikael 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 Zouk Mikael 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 Zouk Mikael gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.