Cost of Living Comparison Between Isiolo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Isiolo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $487 in Isiolo versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $813 in Isiolo versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,140 in Isiolo versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Isiolo costs roughly 60% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isiolo 64% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.54 KES 716

$4.63 ฿151

19.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.53 KES 3,945

$46.84 ฿1,523

-34.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.89 KES 503

$8.84 ฿287

-56.00%

Cappuccino

$2.39 KES 309

$3.00 ฿97.4

-20.33%

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

$0.28 KES 36.28

$0.74 ฿24.11

-62.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 KES 28.32

$0.37 ฿11.88

-40.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.38 KES 307

$2.44 ฿79.3

-2.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 KES 385

$3.61 ฿117

-17.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$2.26 ฿73.5

-61.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.42 KES 53.8

$1.84 ฿59.8

-77.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$2.24 ฿73.0

-29.02%

Eggs

$1.42 KES 183

$2.32 ฿75.3

-38.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.77 KES 1,522

$19.67 ฿639

-40.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.80 KES 878

$3.65 ฿119

86.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.45 KES 704

$13.10 ฿426

-58.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 KES 412

$3.39 ฿110

-5.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$1.64 ฿53.4

-34.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 KES 271

$2.41 ฿78.5

-12.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$2.03 ฿66.0

-49.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 139

$1.56 ฿50.6

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 KES 146

$1.50 ฿48.66

-24.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.5

$1.02 ฿33.30

-32.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 KES 104

$0.49 ฿15.91

63.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 KES 403

$4.45 ฿145

-29.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.54 KES 1,491

$18.88 ฿614

-38.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 KES 282

$1.78 ฿57.7

22.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 KES 351

$2.75 ฿89.5

-1.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 KES 199

$3.12 ฿101

-50.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.00 ฿32.48

53.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 KES 364

$14.09 ฿458

-80.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 KES 180

$1.35 ฿43.93

3.70%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-18.96%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-38.77%

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

$34.61 KES 4,472

$125 ฿4,063

-72.31%

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

$17.03 KES 2,201

$13.57 ฿441

25.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.85 KES 5,021

$18.52 ฿602

109.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 KES 798

$9.19 ฿299

-32.86%

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

$201 KES 26.0K

$698 ฿22.7K

-71.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,040 KES 1.0M

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-48.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.30 KES 2,366

$57.8 ฿1,878

-68.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.64 KES 3,055

$35.24 ฿1,146

-32.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.1 KES 8,416

$113 ฿3,677

-42.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.6 KES 7,309

$86.4 ฿2,808

-34.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$782 KES 101.0K

$524 ฿17.0K

49.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

5.33

178.42%

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

Last update for Isiolo: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Isiolo vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $204 vs $292 per month, with Isiolo 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

Isiolo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 153% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isiolo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Isiolo pays 49% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $487 per month in Isiolo versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 153% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $487 in Isiolo versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Isiolo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Isiolo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Isiolo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $487 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Isiolo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Isiolo 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 Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 153% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.