Cost of Living Comparison Between Emporia, KS and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Emporia, KS and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,486 per month in Emporia, KS vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,430 per month in Emporia, KS vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,374 per month in Emporia, KS vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Emporia, KS costs about 18% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Emporia, KS sits 12% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.57 $12.57

$4.48 ฿150

180.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$56.9 $56.9

$45.59 ฿1,521

24.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.59 $9.59

$8.76 ฿292

9.47%

Cappuccino

$4.44 $4.44

$2.97 ฿99.0

49.49%

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

$2.18 $2.18

$0.69 ฿22.90

215.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.39 ฿13.04

307.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.53 ฿84.4

100.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 $6.07

$3.75 ฿125

61.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$2.15 ฿71.6

-61.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.82 ฿60.6

69.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.18 ฿72.9

-9.63%

Eggs

$2.83 $2.83

$2.25 ฿75.0

25.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.09 $8.09

$20.00 ฿667

-59.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.81 $10.81

$3.63 ฿121

197.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.00 $14.00

$13.56 ฿452

3.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.24 ฿108

46.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.64 ฿54.6

-27.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.33 ฿77.8

20.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.07 ฿69.1

35.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.55 ฿51.6

5.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.46 ฿48.54

89.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.98 ฿32.86

90.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$0.48 ฿16.09

385.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.82 $9.82

$4.35 ฿145

125.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.26 $9.26

$18.57 ฿620

-50.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.86 ฿61.9

-6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.65 ฿88.6

24.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.42 ฿47.28

38.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.80 $6.80

$3.17 ฿106

114.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.03 ฿34.41

17.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.28 $35.28

$13.89 ฿463

154.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.34 ฿44.84

-38.06%

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

$30.9K $30.9K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

11.03%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-25.70%

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

$113 $113

$123 ฿4,105

-8.01%

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

$50.3 $50.3

$13.77 ฿459

265.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 $50.7

$18.33 ฿611

176.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.03 $45.03

$60.7 ฿2,025

-25.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$12.38 $12.38

$8.87 ฿296

39.57%

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

$1,074 $1,074

$688 ฿22.9K

56.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

46.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.70 $48.70

$59.3 ฿1,978

-17.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.62 $24.62

$34.69 ฿1,157

-29.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$115 ฿3,843

-25.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.4 $85.4

$83.8 ฿2,794

1.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 $617

$621 ฿20.7K

-0.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$508 $508

$446 ฿14.9K

13.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 $2,110

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 $1,168

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-21.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,240 $1,240

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-64.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,266 $1,266

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-50.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,495 $5,495

$494 ฿16.5K

1013.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.33

22.70%

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

Last update for Emporia, KS: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $617 in Emporia, KS versus $621 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1013% higher in Emporia, KS, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Emporia, KS versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $291 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Emporia, KS vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Emporia, KS costs about 18% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,229 per month in Emporia, KS and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $57.0 in Emporia, KS and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Emporia, KS, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Emporia, KS at $1,486. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Emporia, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,264 versus $1,486 in Emporia, KS. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Emporia, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.