Cost of Living Comparison Between Zepce and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Zepce and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Zepce versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,709 in Zepce versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,279 in Zepce versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Zepce costs roughly 10% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zepce 17% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.96 BAM 16.73

$4.66 ฿153

113.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.9 BAM 88.9

$32.22 ฿1,060

64.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.23 BAM 18.87

$8.68 ฿286

29.38%

Cappuccino

$1.92 BAM 3.23

$2.90 ฿95.4

-33.79%

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

$2.58 BAM 4.33

$0.84 ฿27.78

207.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 BAM 2.81

$0.49 ฿16.10

240.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 BAM 4.29

$2.48 ฿81.7

3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 BAM 6.03

$3.73 ฿123

-3.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 BAM 2.50

$1.89 ฿62.0

-21.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 BAM 2.12

$1.41 ฿46.36

-10.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 BAM 2.82

$1.62 ฿53.4

3.70%

Eggs

$2.92 BAM 4.91

$2.24 ฿73.8

30.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 BAM 16.86

$19.84 ฿653

-49.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.82 BAM 14.82

$3.48 ฿114

153.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.33 BAM 24.08

$11.37 ฿374

26.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.91 BAM 3.20

$2.90 ฿95.4

-34.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 BAM 3.34

$1.72 ฿56.8

15.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.30 BAM 3.87

$2.27 ฿74.8

1.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 BAM 2.93

$2.13 ฿70.2

-17.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 BAM 1.77

$1.47 ฿48.53

-28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 BAM 2.37

$1.42 ฿46.73

-0.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.17 BAM 1.97

$1.10 ฿36.11

6.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 BAM 1.47

$0.60 ฿19.68

46.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.94 BAM 6.62

$4.31 ฿142

-8.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.21 BAM 13.78

$18.60 ฿612

-55.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 BAM 1.75

$1.80 ฿59.3

-42.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 BAM 2.36

$2.97 ฿97.6

-52.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 BAM 2.26

$2.25 ฿73.9

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿773

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.80 BAM 3.02

$3.10 ฿102

-41.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.17 BAM 1.96

$1.08 ฿35.42

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.02 BAM 30.27

$3.87 ฿127

365.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 BAM 2.82

$1.43 ฿46.97

17.48%

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

$31.0K BAM 52.1K

$27.8K ฿914.4K

11.63%

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

$22.0K BAM 36.9K

$27.0K ฿888.0K

-18.52%

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

$165 BAM 276

$105 ฿3,449

56.99%

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

$16.96 BAM 28.49

$11.39 ฿375

48.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.72 BAM 63.4

$17.54 ฿577

115.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.03 BAM 57.2

$54.3 ฿1,788

-37.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.97 BAM 20.11

$11.44 ฿377

4.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.00 BAM 5.03

$7.78 ฿256

-61.44%

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

$299 BAM 503

$576 ฿19.0K

-48.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,694 BAM 6,204

$11.6K ฿381.2K

-68.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 BAM 142

$63.6 ฿2,094

33.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 BAM 62.8

$29.10 ฿958

28.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 BAM 187

$96.2 ฿3,167

15.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 BAM 247

$90.0 ฿2,962

63.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 BAM 607

$733 ฿24.1K

-50.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 BAM 434

$501 ฿16.5K

-48.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$537 BAM 902

$2,126 ฿70.0K

-74.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 BAM 636

$1,252 ฿41.2K

-69.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,538 BAM 4,263

$3,534 ฿116.3K

-28.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,846 BAM 3,101

$2,622 ฿86.3K

-29.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.44

5.57

-20.29%

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

Last update for Zepce: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $361 in Zepce and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Zepce vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $248 vs $275, with Zepce 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

Zepce vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zepce is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,709 in Zepce and $1,898 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $361 in Zepce versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $299 in Zepce versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Zepce – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,139 in Zepce versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zepce but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Zepce the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Zepce 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, Zepce 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 Zepce gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.