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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $467 per month in Garissa vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $774 per month in Garissa vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,082 per month in Garissa vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Garissa is about 63% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Garissa and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Garissa 65% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.55 KES 846

$4.55 ฿153

43.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.28 KES 3,008

$46.18 ฿1,550

-49.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.78 KES 359

$8.84 ฿297

-68.55%

Cappuccino

$4.36 KES 563

$3.06 ฿103

42.48%

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

$1.15 KES 148

$0.73 ฿24.36

57.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 KES 87.5

$0.40 ฿13.37

70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.88 KES 243

$2.43 ฿81.6

-22.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 KES 354

$3.78 ฿127

-27.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 111

$2.26 ฿75.8

-61.95%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 KES 66.8

$1.81 ฿60.8

-71.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 KES 142

$2.25 ฿75.7

-51.11%

Eggs

$1.70 KES 219

$2.25 ฿75.4

-24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿655

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.28 KES 811

$3.65 ฿122

72.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.31 KES 557

$13.05 ฿438

-66.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 KES 391

$3.23 ฿109

-6.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 KES 304

$1.62 ฿54.3

45.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.14 KES 405

$2.38 ฿80.0

31.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 KES 88.2

$2.03 ฿68.0

-66.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 KES 112

$1.53 ฿51.5

-43.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 145

$1.50 ฿50.4

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 KES 84.8

$0.98 ฿32.85

-32.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$0.52 ฿17.36

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

$4.44 ฿149

-46.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 KES 730

$18.32 ฿615

-69.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 KES 237

$1.86 ฿62.6

-1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 KES 432

$2.68 ฿90.0

24.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.37

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 KES 304

$3.11 ฿104

-24.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.00

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.31 ฿44.02

-18.32%

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

$27.8K ฿933.8K

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

$9,144 KES 1.2M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-72.47%

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

$15.34 KES 1,982

$122 ฿4,110

-87.47%

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

$13.59 ฿456

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.96 KES 2,967

$18.70 ฿628

22.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 KES 2,973

$60.5 ฿2,031

-61.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$706 ฿23.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿530.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.45 KES 1,480

$58.6 ฿1,965

-80.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$7.86 KES 1,015

$35.36 ฿1,187

-77.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$23.53 KES 3,040

$115 ฿3,876

-79.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$22.86 KES 2,953

$83.7 ฿2,811

-72.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$103 KES 13.3K

$626 ฿21.0K

-83.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.1 KES 9,831

$445 ฿14.9K

-82.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$193 KES 24.9K

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-90.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$171 KES 22.1K

$1,492 ฿50.1K

-88.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$130 KES 16.8K

$500 ฿16.8K

-74.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Garissa: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $103 in Garissa versus $626 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 285% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $155 vs $289 – 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: $467 in Garissa, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 168% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $700 per month in Garissa and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Garissa, 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 $23.00 in Garissa and $46.00 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 $467 in Garissa and $1,250 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 $467, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $467 in Garissa to $1,250 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.