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: $1,005 in Zepce versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,544 in Zepce versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,083 in Zepce versus $3,317 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

$8.63 BAM 14.75

$4.55 ฿153

89.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.27 BAM 70.6

$46.18 ฿1,554

-10.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 BAM 15.29

$8.84 ฿298

1.13%

Cappuccino

$1.57 BAM 2.69

$3.06 ฿103

-48.69%

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

$1.99 BAM 3.40

$0.73 ฿24.42

172.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 BAM 2.05

$0.40 ฿13.40

200.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.12 BAM 3.63

$2.43 ฿81.8

-12.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 BAM 4.92

$3.78 ฿127

-24.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 BAM 2.32

$2.26 ฿76.0

-39.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 BAM 2.20

$1.81 ฿60.9

-28.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 BAM 2.82

$2.25 ฿75.8

-26.67%

Eggs

$2.92 BAM 5.00

$2.25 ฿75.6

29.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.26 BAM 15.84

$19.51 ฿656

-52.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.96 BAM 15.32

$3.65 ฿123

145.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.87 BAM 20.30

$13.05 ฿439

-9.04%

Apples (1kg)

$1.38 BAM 2.37

$3.23 ฿109

-57.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 BAM 2.73

$1.62 ฿54.4

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 BAM 3.33

$2.38 ฿80.2

-18.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 BAM 3.33

$2.03 ฿68.2

-4.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 BAM 2.12

$1.53 ฿51.6

-18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 BAM 2.15

$1.50 ฿50.5

-16.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.28 BAM 2.19

$0.98 ฿32.93

30.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 BAM 1.29

$0.52 ฿17.40

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 BAM 6.22

$4.44 ฿149

-18.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.36 BAM 14.30

$18.32 ฿616

-54.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 BAM 1.21

$1.86 ฿62.7

-61.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 BAM 1.87

$2.68 ฿90.2

-59.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 BAM 3.02

$1.41 ฿47.49

25.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.81 BAM 59.5

$11.70 ฿394

197.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 BAM 2.46

$3.11 ฿105

-53.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 BAM 1.98

$1.04 ฿35.08

11.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 BAM 15.07

$14.11 ฿475

-37.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 BAM 2.62

$1.31 ฿44.13

16.79%

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

$28.4K BAM 48.6K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

2.16%

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

$27.1K BAM 46.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-18.33%

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

$171 BAM 293

$122 ฿4,120

39.94%

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

$18.89 BAM 32.31

$13.59 ฿457

39.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.98 BAM 41.02

$18.70 ฿629

28.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.94 BAM 51.2

$60.5 ฿2,035

-50.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.95 BAM 18.73

$16.98 ฿572

-35.51%

Cinema Ticket

$2.88 BAM 4.93

$9.07 ฿305

-68.25%

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

$236 BAM 404

$706 ฿23.8K

-66.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,638 BAM 6,222

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-76.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.7 BAM 129

$58.6 ฿1,970

29.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 BAM 61.4

$35.36 ฿1,190

1.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 BAM 150

$115 ฿3,885

-23.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 BAM 214

$83.7 ฿2,818

49.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$256 BAM 438

$626 ฿21.1K

-59.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$167 BAM 285

$445 ฿15.0K

-62.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$370 BAM 633

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-81.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 BAM 535

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-79.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,872 BAM 4,912

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-17.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,967 BAM 3,364

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-23.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $256 in Zepce and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $41.00 in Zepce vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $289 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 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,507 in Zepce and $1,875 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: $256 in Zepce versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $236 in Zepce versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,005 in Zepce versus $1,250 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 24% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.