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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,098 in Zouk Mikael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,697 in Zouk Mikael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,296 in Zouk Mikael.

Living in Phuket is roughly 14% more expensive than in Zouk Mikael, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Zouk Mikael 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$10.66 LBP 954.1K

-57.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$60.3 LBP 5.4M

-23.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$7.98 LBP 714.1K

10.78%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.26 LBP 291.8K

-6.13%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.59 LBP 142.1K

-54.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.92 LBP 81.9K

-56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.55 LBP 317.3K

-31.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.94 LBP 442.1K

-23.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.71 LBP 152.8K

32.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.30 LBP 26.5K

503.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.83 LBP 163.5K

22.95%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$3.21 LBP 287.0K

-29.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$4.98 LBP 445.7K

291.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$9.41 LBP 842.6K

-61.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.62 LBP 1.0M

12.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.75 LBP 156.3K

84.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.53 LBP 137.1K

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.15 LBP 102.6K

106.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$1.05 LBP 93.7K

93.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.42 LBP 37.5K

264.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.04 LBP 92.9K

44.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.81 LBP 72.9K

20.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.52 LBP 46.4K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.48 LBP 222.4K

79.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$9.92 LBP 888.2K

84.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$0.86 LBP 77.3K

116.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.13 LBP 190.6K

25.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$5.09 LBP 455.4K

-38.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.26 LBP 112.8K

-17.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$19.95 LBP 1.8M

-29.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$0.88 LBP 78.7K

48.86%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$35.0K LBP 3.1B

-20.51%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$27.3K LBP 2.4B

21.75%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$167 LBP 15.0M

-26.77%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$37.35 LBP 3.3M

-63.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$37.61 LBP 3.4M

-50.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$8.10 LBP 724.9K

11.98%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$306 LBP 27.4M

130.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$4,529 LBP 405.4M

248.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$70.8 LBP 6.3M

-17.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$44.67 LBP 4.0M

-20.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$74.9 LBP 6.7M

54.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$93.7 LBP 8.4M

-10.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$501 LBP 44.9M

24.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$304 LBP 27.2M

46.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$998 LBP 89.3M

104.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$510 LBP 45.6M

192.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.25

25.41%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zouk Mikael: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $501 in Zouk Mikael. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $60.0 in Zouk Mikael. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $206, with Zouk Mikael 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 Zouk Mikael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zouk Mikael is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,647 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $501 in Zouk Mikael. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $306 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 $60.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,098 in Zouk Mikael versus $1,250 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 14% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.