Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Garissa and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $376 per month in Garissa vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $657 per month in Garissa vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $938 per month in Garissa vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Garissa is about 70% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Garissa and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 73% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.69 KES 1,512

$4.56 ฿150

156.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.22 KES 3,005

$32.62 ฿1,073

-28.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

Cappuccino

$7.79 KES 1,008

$2.80 ฿92.2

178.21%

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

$1.97 KES 255

$0.88 ฿28.94

123.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 KES 148

$0.49 ฿16.08

132.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$0.52 KES 67.0

$1.79 ฿58.8

-70.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.59 KES 76.7

$1.44 ฿47.40

-59.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.44 KES 186

$1.58 ฿52.1

-8.86%

Eggs

$1.92 KES 248

$2.13 ฿69.9

-9.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.35 KES 822

$3.43 ฿113

85.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.36 KES 694

$11.33 ฿372

-52.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.95 KES 511

$2.95 ฿97.0

33.90%

Banana (1kg)

$3.05 KES 395

$1.72 ฿56.6

77.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.52 KES 584

$2.32 ฿76.5

94.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.74 KES 95.9

$2.08 ฿68.4

-64.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 KES 162

$1.47 ฿48.34

-14.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.56 KES 201

$1.36 ฿44.65

14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 KES 298

$1.10 ฿36.13

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 KES 66.5

$0.57 ฿18.89

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$5.89 KES 762

$18.42 ฿606

-68.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 KES 217

$1.87 ฿61.5

-10.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 KES 490

$2.92 ฿96.1

29.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

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

$103 ฿3,380

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

$10.99 ฿361

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$557 ฿18.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$132 KES 17.1K

$503 ฿16.6K

-73.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Garissa: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 281% higher in Phuket, 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 $23.00 in Garissa versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $182 vs $273 – making Garissa 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

Garissa vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $376 in Garissa, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 233% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $564 per month in Garissa and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Garissa and $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $376 in Garissa and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Garissa, where all-in costs run around $376, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Garissa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $376 in Garissa to $1,253 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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