Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabul and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kabul and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $416 in Kabul versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $602 in Kabul versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $787 in Kabul versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Kabul costs roughly 67% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kabul 69% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.53 ؋161

$4.70 ฿153

-46.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.74 ؋682

$45.37 ฿1,482

-76.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.37 ؋278

$8.43 ฿275

-48.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.24 ؋143

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ؋107

Cappuccino

$1.01 ؋64.0

$2.93 ฿95.6

-65.53%

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

$0.36 ؋22.93

$0.69 ฿22.40

-47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.13 ؋8.10

$0.37 ฿11.99

-64.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 ؋44.85

$2.23 ฿72.9

-68.16%

White Bread (500g)

$0.21 ؋13.14

$1.83 ฿59.8

-88.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 ؋108

$2.17 ฿70.8

-21.66%

Eggs

$1.42 ؋90.0

$2.21 ฿72.3

-35.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 ؋244

$19.74 ฿645

-80.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ؋213

$3.63 ฿119

-7.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.00 ؋381

$13.53 ฿442

-55.65%

Apples (1kg)

$0.53 ؋33.75

$3.28 ฿107

-83.84%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 ؋50.8

$1.61 ฿52.6

-50.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.75 ؋47.84

$2.41 ฿78.6

-68.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.46 ؋29.36

$2.08 ฿68.1

-77.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.48 ؋30.44

$1.53 ฿49.93

-68.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ؋26.99

$1.48 ฿48.36

-70.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.23 ؋14.60

$0.99 ฿32.29

-76.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.33 ؋20.72

$0.51 ฿16.67

-35.29%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.97 ؋125

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ؋59.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 ؋93.9

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 ؋168

$4.41 ฿144

-40.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.21 ؋13.31

$1.37 ฿44.79

-84.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.87 ؋627

$11.39 ฿372

-13.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 ؋112

$3.02 ฿98.6

-41.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.55 ؋35.21

$0.99 ฿32.48

-44.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.59 ؋164

$14.10 ฿461

-81.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 ؋60.1

$1.36 ฿44.51

-30.15%

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

$7,763 ؋493.0K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-72.47%

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

$32.1K ؋2.0M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-2.30%

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

$50.3 ؋3,196

$122 ฿3,975

-58.65%

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

$13.77 ؋874

$13.57 ฿443

1.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.6 ؋5,819

$18.31 ฿598

400.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.06 ؋575

$60.2 ฿1,967

-84.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.88 ؋247

$17.14 ฿560

-77.36%

Cinema Ticket

$2.21 ؋140

$8.69 ฿284

-74.57%

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

$18.18 ؋1,155

$693 ฿22.6K

-97.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,414 ؋89.8K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-90.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.57 ؋608

$59.5 ฿1,944

-83.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.44 ؋1,108

$34.77 ฿1,136

-49.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.79 ؋2,082

$115 ฿3,743

-71.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.41 ؋1,804

$83.3 ฿2,720

-65.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$85.0 ؋5,398

$613 ฿20.0K

-86.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$58.5 ؋3,715

$437 ฿14.3K

-86.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 ؋12.9K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-90.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$111 ؋7,037

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-92.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$732 ؋46.5K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-80.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$410 ؋26.1K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-84.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$351 ؋22.3K

$508 ฿16.6K

-30.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

18.5

5.33

247.09%

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

Last update for Kabul: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $85.0 in Kabul and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 45% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $11.00 in Kabul vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $88.0 vs $293 per month, with Kabul 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

Kabul vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kabul and Phuket differ by about 204% in total monthly costs ($416 vs $1,265 including rent). Kabul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Phuket earns 45% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $85.0 in Kabul versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kabul runs roughly 15% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $18.18 in Kabul versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $416 in Kabul versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kabul but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kabul the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kabul 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 Kabul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 204% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.