Cost of Living Comparison Between Kafue and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Kafue and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂A single person spends $708 per month in Kafue vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,061 per month in Kafue vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $1,414 per month in Kafue vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Kafue is about 44% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.
📊Both Kafue and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kafue47% lower, Phuket5% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kafue
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.33ZMW 137
$4.48฿150
63.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.17ZMW 469
$45.59฿1,521
-44.79%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$3.63ZMW 67.7
$8.76฿292
-58.56%
Cappuccino
$1.92ZMW 35.83
$2.97฿99.0
-35.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.67ZMW 12.53
$0.69฿22.90
-2.90%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33ZMW 6.23
$0.39฿13.04
-15.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.87ZMW 16.22
$2.53฿84.4
-65.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81ZMW 33.84
$3.75฿125
-51.73%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kafue
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.33ZMW 24.90
$2.15฿71.6
-38.14%
White Bread(500g)
$0.75ZMW 14.04
$1.82฿60.6
-58.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.60ZMW 29.83
$2.18฿72.9
-26.61%
Eggs
$1.85ZMW 34.45
$2.25฿75.0
-17.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.62ZMW 142
$20.00฿667
-61.90%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.80ZMW 70.8
$3.63฿121
4.68%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$4.65ZMW 86.7
$13.56฿452
-65.71%
Apples(1kg)
$2.48ZMW 46.19
$3.24฿108
-23.46%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65ZMW 30.82
$1.64฿54.6
0.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.75ZMW 51.3
$2.33฿77.8
18.03%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.15ZMW 21.54
$2.07฿69.1
-44.44%
Potato(1kg)
$1.87ZMW 34.88
$1.55฿51.6
20.65%
Onion(1kg)
$1.33ZMW 24.71
$1.46฿48.54
-8.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.92ZMW 17.18
$0.98฿32.86
-6.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52ZMW 9.62
$0.48฿16.09
8.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.54ZMW 47.40
$4.35฿145
-41.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.77ZMW 201
$18.57฿620
-42.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.12ZMW 20.96
$1.86฿61.9
-39.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.51ZMW 28.24
$2.65฿88.6
-43.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Kafue
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.64ZMW 30.61
$1.42฿47.28
15.49%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.63ZMW 870
$11.57฿386
303.03%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.69ZMW 50.1
$3.17฿106
-15.14%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.03฿34.41
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$9.29ZMW 173
$13.89฿463
-33.12%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.20ZMW 22.33
$1.34฿44.84
-10.45%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$7,897ZMW 147.3K
$27.8K฿927.1K
-71.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.4KZMW 528.8K
$33.4K฿1.1M
-15.06%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kafue
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$90.2ZMW 1,681
$123฿4,105
-26.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.3ZMW 976
$13.77฿459
280.10%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$125ZMW 2,336
$18.33฿611
583.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kafue
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$60.7฿2,025
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.16฿573
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.23ZMW 78.9
$8.87฿296
-52.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kafue
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$174ZMW 3,245
$688฿22.9K
-74.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,500ZMW 177.2K
$15.8K฿526.4K
-39.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kafue
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.76ZMW 350
$59.3฿1,978
-68.36%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$17.29ZMW 323
$34.69฿1,157
-50.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.3ZMW 1,554
$115฿3,843
-27.68%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.1ZMW 1,344
$83.8฿2,794
-13.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kafue
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$621฿20.7K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$446฿14.9K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,034฿67.8K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,496฿49.9K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,455฿115.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,531฿84.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kafue
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
25
5.33
369.04%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kafue: July 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $25.00 in Kafue versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $178 vs $291 – making Kafue 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
Kafue vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kafue and in Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $708 in Kafue, $1,264 in Phuket – roughly 79% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Kafue compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,061 per month in Kafue and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Kafue and Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $174 per month in Kafue and $688 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 64% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kafue, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Phuket at $1,264. In Kafue it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Kafue and Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $708 in Kafue to $1,264 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Kafue or Phuket safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Kafue and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Kafue. 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.