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: $539 in Isiolo versus $1,243 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $876 in Isiolo versus $2,023 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,214 in Isiolo versus $2,803 in Phuket.

Living in Isiolo costs roughly 57% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Isiolo 60% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 KES 613

$4.37 ฿147

8.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.12 KES 4,424

$32.87 ฿1,107

3.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.07 KES 787

$8.39 ฿283

-27.65%

Cappuccino

$2.72 KES 352

$2.73 ฿92.1

-0.37%

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

$0.59 KES 76.5

$0.88 ฿29.70

-32.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 KES 81.8

$0.47 ฿15.97

34.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 KES 305

$2.36 ฿79.3

-0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 KES 340

$3.71 ฿125

-29.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 KES 112

$1.83 ฿61.7

-53.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 74.2

$1.45 ฿48.75

-60.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 KES 250

$1.58 ฿53.1

22.15%

Eggs

$1.67 KES 216

$2.10 ฿70.7

-20.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.77 KES 1,396

$19.37 ฿652

-44.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.47 KES 839

$3.42 ฿115

89.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.40 KES 829

$10.96 ฿369

-41.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 KES 412

$3.00 ฿101

6.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$1.64 ฿55.1

-37.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 KES 256

$2.21 ฿74.3

-10.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 KES 147

$2.12 ฿71.5

-46.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 KES 143

$1.47 ฿49.52

-25.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.32 ฿44.53

-21.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 87.9

$1.07 ฿36.06

-36.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 KES 95.4

$0.52 ฿17.68

42.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 KES 457

$4.38 ฿148

-19.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.42 KES 1,480

$18.59 ฿626

-38.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 KES 297

$1.75 ฿58.8

30.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 KES 363

$2.86 ฿96.2

-2.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿76.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.98 ฿774

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$2.94 ฿99.1

-46.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 198

$1.07 ฿35.96

42.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 KES 381

$3.84 ฿129

-23.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 KES 185

$1.46 ฿49.14

-2.05%

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

$21.4K KES 2.8M

$27.2K ฿915.5K

-21.46%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$26.6K ฿896.7K

-24.70%

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

$61.9 KES 8,020

$102 ฿3,433

-39.33%

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

$15.49 KES 2,008

$10.96 ฿369

41.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.16 KES 4,559

$16.89 ฿569

108.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ฿1,765

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.93 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.93 KES 1,028

$7.52 ฿253

5.45%

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

$252 KES 32.6K

$547 ฿18.4K

-53.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K KES 1.5M

$11.3K ฿380.9K

4.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.60 KES 3,708

$63.2 ฿2,129

-54.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.49 KES 3,695

$29.23 ฿984

-2.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 KES 8,926

$97.8 ฿3,294

-29.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.3 KES 7,689

$86.7 ฿2,919

-31.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,081 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 ฿40.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,577 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,541 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$761 KES 98.6K

$489 ฿16.5K

55.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

5.57

164.09%

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

Last update for Isiolo: September 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 56% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Isiolo vs $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $205 vs $269, with Isiolo cheaper for home cooking.

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 131% 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.

Average pay runs 56% higher in Isiolo, 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 31% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $539 per month in Isiolo versus $1,243 in Phuket – a 131% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $539 in Isiolo versus $1,243 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 $539 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 131% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.