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: $1,069 in Zahlah versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,668 in Zahlah versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,266 in Zahlah versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Zahlah costs roughly 13% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zahlah 20% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.84 LBP 969.9K

$4.63 ฿151

134.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.4 LBP 5.4M

$46.84 ฿1,523

29.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.95 LBP 712.0K

$8.84 ฿287

-10.07%

Cappuccino

$3.26 LBP 292.1K

$3.00 ฿97.4

8.67%

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

$1.59 LBP 142.1K

$0.74 ฿24.11

114.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.86 LBP 77.2K

$0.37 ฿11.88

132.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 LBP 317.6K

$2.44 ฿79.3

45.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 LBP 182.1K

$3.61 ฿117

-43.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 LBP 90.5K

$2.26 ฿73.5

-55.31%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 LBP 75.4K

$1.84 ฿59.8

-54.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 LBP 159.3K

$2.24 ฿73.0

-20.54%

Eggs

$3.22 LBP 288.3K

$2.32 ฿75.3

38.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 LBP 1.0M

$19.67 ฿639

-41.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.73 LBP 870.6K

$3.65 ฿119

166.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.35 LBP 1.0M

$13.10 ฿426

-13.36%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 LBP 162.1K

$3.39 ฿110

-46.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 LBP 135.6K

$1.64 ฿53.4

-7.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 LBP 98.0K

$2.41 ฿78.5

-54.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 LBP 93.4K

$2.03 ฿66.0

-48.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 LBP 85.5K

$1.56 ฿50.6

-39.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 LBP 90.1K

$1.50 ฿48.66

-32.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 LBP 72.7K

$1.02 ฿33.30

-20.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 LBP 46.4K

$0.49 ฿15.91

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.57 LBP 230.2K

$4.45 ฿145

-42.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 LBP 1.0M

$18.88 ฿614

-40.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 LBP 110.9K

$1.78 ฿57.7

-30.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 LBP 189.7K

$2.75 ฿89.5

-22.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 LBP 450.1K

$3.12 ฿101

61.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 LBP 108.9K

$1.00 ฿32.48

22.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.02 LBP 1.8M

$14.09 ฿458

42.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 LBP 83.7K

$1.35 ฿43.93

-30.37%

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

$34.8K LBP 3.1B

$27.2K ฿883.7K

27.94%

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

$27.5K LBP 2.5B

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-16.54%

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

$217 LBP 19.4M

$125 ฿4,063

73.40%

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

$37.65 LBP 3.4M

$13.57 ฿441

177.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.82 LBP 3.4M

$18.52 ฿602

104.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.08 LBP 723.4K

$9.19 ฿299

-12.08%

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

$296 LBP 26.5M

$698 ฿22.7K

-57.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,467 LBP 399.8M

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-71.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 LBP 6.3M

$57.8 ฿1,878

22.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.79 LBP 4.0M

$35.24 ฿1,146

27.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 LBP 11.2M

$113 ฿3,677

10.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 LBP 8.3M

$86.4 ฿2,808

7.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 LBP 17.8M

$446 ฿14.5K

-55.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 LBP 35.9M

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-73.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.16

5.33

109.38%

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

Last update for Zahlah: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $60.0 in Zahlah vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $292, with Zahlah 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

Zahlah vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zahlah is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,604 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 $296 in Zahlah versus $698 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 $60.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,069 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 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.