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: $1,008 in Zepce versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,530 in Zepce versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,053 in Zepce versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Zepce costs roughly 20% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zepce 25% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.64 BAM 14.51

$4.70 ฿153

83.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.42 BAM 69.6

$45.37 ฿1,482

-8.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.03 BAM 15.17

$8.43 ฿275

7.12%

Cappuccino

$1.57 BAM 2.64

$2.93 ฿95.6

-46.42%

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

$1.94 BAM 3.25

$0.69 ฿22.40

181.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 BAM 1.94

$0.37 ฿11.99

210.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.10 BAM 3.53

$2.41 ฿78.6

-12.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 BAM 4.66

$3.72 ฿122

-25.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 BAM 2.26

$2.23 ฿72.9

-39.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 BAM 2.14

$1.83 ฿59.8

-30.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 BAM 2.63

$2.17 ฿70.8

-28.11%

Eggs

$3.00 BAM 5.04

$2.21 ฿72.3

35.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 BAM 15.72

$19.74 ฿645

-52.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.56 BAM 14.39

$3.63 ฿119

135.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 BAM 20.33

$13.53 ฿442

-10.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.43 BAM 2.40

$3.28 ฿107

-56.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 BAM 2.74

$1.61 ฿52.6

1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 BAM 3.26

$2.41 ฿78.6

-19.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 BAM 3.39

$2.08 ฿68.1

-2.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.20 BAM 2.02

$1.53 ฿49.93

-21.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.27 BAM 2.13

$1.48 ฿48.36

-14.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 BAM 2.05

$0.99 ฿32.29

23.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 BAM 1.29

$0.51 ฿16.67

50.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 BAM 6.33

$4.41 ฿144

-14.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.24 BAM 13.85

$19.38 ฿633

-57.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.19

$1.78 ฿58.1

-60.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 BAM 1.91

$2.71 ฿88.6

-57.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 BAM 2.95

$1.37 ฿44.79

28.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.83 BAM 60.2

$11.39 ฿372

214.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 BAM 2.52

$3.02 ฿98.6

-50.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 BAM 1.94

$0.99 ฿32.48

16.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 BAM 14.74

$14.10 ฿461

-37.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 BAM 2.47

$1.36 ฿44.51

8.09%

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

$28.7K BAM 48.2K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

1.72%

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

$26.4K BAM 44.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-19.84%

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

$169 BAM 284

$122 ฿3,975

38.89%

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

$18.80 BAM 31.59

$13.57 ฿443

38.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.60 BAM 39.66

$18.31 ฿598

28.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.62 BAM 49.76

$60.2 ฿1,967

-50.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.09 BAM 18.64

$17.14 ฿560

-35.30%

Cinema Ticket

$2.90 BAM 4.87

$8.69 ฿284

-66.63%

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

$240 BAM 404

$693 ฿22.6K

-65.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,688 BAM 6,196

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-76.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.5 BAM 125

$59.5 ฿1,944

25.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.25 BAM 62.6

$34.77 ฿1,136

7.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 BAM 151

$115 ฿3,743

-21.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 BAM 206

$83.3 ฿2,720

47.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$259 BAM 436

$613 ฿20.0K

-57.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 BAM 280

$437 ฿14.3K

-61.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$361 BAM 607

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-82.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$320 BAM 538

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-78.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,375 BAM 3,991

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-36.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,822 BAM 3,061

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-30.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.02

5.33

-5.82%

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

Last update for Zepce: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $259 in Zepce and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Zepce vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $293 per month, with Zepce 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

Zepce vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zepce is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,512 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: $259 in Zepce versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $240 in Zepce versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,008 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 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.