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 $1,097 in Zouk Mikael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,702 in Zouk Mikael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,307 in Zouk Mikael.

Living in Phuket is roughly 15% more expensive than 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

$4.70 ฿153

$10.95 LBP 980.4K

-57.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$59.8 LBP 5.4M

-24.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.92 LBP 708.9K

6.44%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$3.36 LBP 301.0K

-12.80%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.60 LBP 142.8K

-56.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.92 LBP 82.6K

-59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.55 LBP 317.7K

-32.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.97 LBP 444.7K

-25.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.73 LBP 155.3K

28.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.32 LBP 28.7K

471.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.83 LBP 163.6K

18.58%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$3.23 LBP 289.0K

-31.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.11 LBP 457.3K

286.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$9.58 LBP 857.6K

-62.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

17.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.82 LBP 162.9K

80.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.51 LBP 134.9K

6.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.13 LBP 101.2K

113.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.06 LBP 94.5K

96.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.38 LBP 34.3K

302.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.03 LBP 92.2K

43.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.84 LBP 75.2K

17.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.51 LBP 46.0K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.45 LBP 219.6K

80.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.14 LBP 907.5K

91.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.85 LBP 76.0K

109.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.23 LBP 199.2K

21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$5.05 LBP 451.8K

-40.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.29 LBP 115.2K

-23.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$20.01 LBP 1.8M

-29.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.93 LBP 83.4K

46.24%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$34.9K LBP 3.1B

-19.28%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.8K LBP 2.5B

18.48%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$169 LBP 15.1M

-28.01%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$37.58 LBP 3.4M

-63.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$36.54 LBP 3.3M

-49.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.83 LBP 700.5K

10.98%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$298 LBP 26.7M

132.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$4,399 LBP 393.7M

256.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$69.7 LBP 6.2M

-14.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$45.73 LBP 4.1M

-23.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$75.6 LBP 6.8M

51.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$94.0 LBP 8.4M

-11.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$492 LBP 44.0M

24.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$300 LBP 26.8M

45.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,020 LBP 91.2M

105.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$501 LBP 44.8M

201.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zouk Mikael: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $492 in Zouk Mikael. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $60.0 in Zouk Mikael. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $208, 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 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,645 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: $613 in Phuket versus $492 in Zouk Mikael. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $298 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 $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,097 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 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.