Cost of Living Comparison Between Zahlah and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Zahlah and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $986 in Zahlah versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,607 in Zahlah versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,227 in Zahlah versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Zahlah costs roughly 20% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zahlah 28% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.07 LBP 1.1M

$4.41 ฿147

173.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.6 LBP 5.7M

$32.26 ฿1,077

97.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 LBP 883.7K

$8.93 ฿298

10.53%

Cappuccino

$4.70 LBP 420.5K

$2.90 ฿96.6

62.07%

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

$2.27 LBP 203.4K

$0.88 ฿29.38

157.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 LBP 74.2K

$0.48 ฿16.06

72.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 LBP 448.8K

$2.35 ฿78.5

113.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.14 LBP 459.9K

$3.72 ฿124

38.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 LBP 172.7K

$1.87 ฿62.3

3.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.87 LBP 78.1K

$1.47 ฿48.94

-40.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 LBP 189.3K

$1.55 ฿51.8

36.77%

Eggs

$3.53 LBP 315.8K

$2.10 ฿70.1

68.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.26 LBP 1.2M

$19.59 ฿654

-32.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.47 LBP 937.3K

$3.42 ฿114

206.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 LBP 1.3M

$11.38 ฿380

25.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 LBP 266.9K

$2.98 ฿99.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 LBP 152.7K

$1.68 ฿56.2

1.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 151.7K

$2.21 ฿73.7

-23.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 LBP 136.0K

$2.16 ฿72.1

-29.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 LBP 126.8K

$1.52 ฿50.9

-6.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 LBP 150.8K

$1.34 ฿44.67

26.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.16 LBP 103.9K

$1.13 ฿37.67

2.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 LBP 61.9K

$0.55 ฿18.24

25.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 LBP 276.4K

$4.26 ฿142

-27.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.10 LBP 903.7K

$19.09 ฿637

-47.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 LBP 119.7K

$1.78 ฿59.4

-24.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 LBP 229.3K

$2.78 ฿92.9

-7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.08 LBP 454.4K

$3.03 ฿101

67.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 LBP 202.4K

$1.02 ฿34.15

121.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.27 LBP 2.0M

$3.89 ฿130

472.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 LBP 89.4K

$1.49 ฿49.77

-32.89%

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

$53.7K LBP 4.8B

$26.6K ฿887.3K

101.93%

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

$32.6K LBP 2.9B

$27.0K ฿902.2K

20.57%

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

$232 LBP 20.8M

$102 ฿3,420

126.65%

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

$23.16 LBP 2.1M

$11.33 ฿378

104.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.07 LBP 3.4M

$17.40 ฿581

118.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$9.91 LBP 887.0K

$7.69 ฿257

28.87%

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

$688 LBP 61.6M

$561 ฿18.7K

22.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.7K LBP 957.1M

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-7.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 LBP 6.1M

$63.0 ฿2,104

8.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.59 LBP 4.3M

$29.52 ฿986

64.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 LBP 12.3M

$98.0 ฿3,272

40.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 LBP 10.7M

$88.5 ฿2,954

35.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Zahlah: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $64.0 in Zahlah vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $278 vs $274 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

Zahlah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zahlah is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,479 in Zahlah and $1,847 in Phuket 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 $688 in Zahlah versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zahlah – 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 $986 in Zahlah versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zahlah but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zahlah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zahlah 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, Zahlah 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 Zahlah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.