Cost of Living Comparison Between Zabol and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Zabol and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $513 in Zabol versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $793 in Zabol versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,074 in Zabol versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Zabol costs roughly 59% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zabol 62% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 $1.95

$4.56 ฿149

-57.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.81 $16.81

$46.63 ฿1,519

-63.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.55 $4.55

$8.47 ฿276

-46.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.52 $0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

Cappuccino

$0.51 $0.51

$3.03 ฿98.6

-83.17%

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

$0.42 $0.42

$0.69 ฿22.45

-39.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.37 ฿11.92

175.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$0.62 $0.62

$2.18 ฿71.0

-71.56%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.90 ฿62.0

-72.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.20 ฿71.6

-15.91%

Eggs

$1.13 $1.13

$2.22 ฿72.4

-49.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$19.99 ฿651

-83.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.66 ฿119

-13.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.79 $9.79

$13.25 ฿432

-26.11%

Apples (1kg)

$0.92 $0.92

$3.23 ฿105

-71.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.70 ฿55.3

-17.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.39 ฿78.0

-64.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.59 $0.59

$2.08 ฿67.7

-71.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 $0.48

$1.59 ฿51.8

-69.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 $0.49

$1.48 ฿48.31

-66.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 $0.56

$1.03 ฿33.54

-45.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 $0.25

$0.52 ฿16.83

-51.92%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.63 $0.63

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 $1.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 $2.17

$4.25 ฿138

-48.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.18 $0.18

$1.36 ฿44.32

-86.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.94 $9.94

$11.36 ฿370

-12.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.34 $0.34

$3.14 ฿102

-89.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 $0.29

$1.04 ฿33.74

-72.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 $1.98

$13.77 ฿448

-85.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.34 ฿43.79

-41.79%

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

$73.1K $73.1K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

164.04%

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

$55.9K $55.9K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

65.19%

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

$15.83 $15.83

$124 ฿4,025

-87.19%

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

$2.03 $2.03

$13.52 ฿440

-84.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.69 $5.69

$18.69 ฿609

-69.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.91 $15.91

$61.8 ฿2,013

-74.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.35 $12.35

$17.25 ฿562

-28.41%

Cinema Ticket

$1.51 $1.51

$9.14 ฿298

-83.48%

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

$116 $116

$703 ฿22.9K

-83.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,976 $1,976

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-87.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.07 $22.07

$59.5 ฿1,937

-62.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.93 $24.93

$35.07 ฿1,142

-28.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$115 ฿3,754

-3.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 $69.3

$84.1 ฿2,737

-17.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$287 $287

$619 ฿20.1K

-53.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 $204

$433 ฿14.1K

-52.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$628 $628

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-69.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$318 $318

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-78.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,125 $1,125

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-69.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$623 $623

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-76.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$152 $152

$507 ฿16.5K

-70.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

22.24

5.33

317.26%

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

Last update for Zabol: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $287 in Zabol and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 233% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Zabol vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $106 vs $293 per month, with Zabol cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Zabol vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zabol is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 146% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 233% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $287 in Zabol versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $116 in Zabol versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 177% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $513 in Zabol versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zabol but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zabol the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zabol 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, Zabol and Phuket 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 Zabol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 146% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.