Cost of Living Comparison Between Kailua, HI and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kailua, HI and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,159 in Kailua, HI versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,084 in Kailua, HI versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,010 in Kailua, HI versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Kailua, HI is roughly 229% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kailua, HI is 202% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.77 $27.77

$4.66 ฿154

495.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$138 $138

$32.22 ฿1,065

327.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.47 $11.47

$8.68 ฿287

32.14%

Cappuccino

$6.30 $6.30

$2.90 ฿95.8

117.24%

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

$2.97 $2.97

$0.84 ฿27.89

253.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.49 ฿16.16

377.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.42 $9.42

$2.48 ฿82.0

279.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.90 $8.90

$3.73 ฿123

138.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.89 ฿62.3

23.81%

White Bread (500g)

$7.78 $7.78

$1.41 ฿46.54

451.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.63 $7.63

$1.62 ฿53.6

370.99%

Eggs

$8.55 $8.55

$2.24 ฿74.1

281.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$19.84 ฿656

-5.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.02 $16.02

$3.48 ฿115

360.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.36 $21.36

$11.37 ฿376

87.86%

Apples (1kg)

$7.79 $7.79

$2.90 ฿95.8

168.62%

Banana (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$1.72 ฿57.0

161.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$2.27 ฿75.1

197.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.36 $9.36

$2.13 ฿70.4

339.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.47 ฿48.72

152.38%

Onion (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$1.42 ฿46.92

225.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.46 $4.46

$1.10 ฿36.25

305.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$0.60 ฿19.76

403.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.79 $12.79

$4.31 ฿142

196.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.81 $16.81

$18.60 ฿615

-9.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.80 ฿59.5

48.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$2.97 ฿98.0

-29.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.25 ฿74.2

75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.0 $89.0

$23.49 ฿776

278.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.10 ฿102

11.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.08 ฿35.56

134.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.04 $45.04

$3.87 ฿128

1063.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.43 ฿47.16

-13.29%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

30.38%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

1.45%

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

$244 $244

$105 ฿3,462

132.37%

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

$49.78 $49.78

$11.39 ฿376

337.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.3 $62.3

$17.54 ฿580

255.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.4 $70.4

$54.3 ฿1,795

29.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.49 $40.49

$11.44 ฿378

253.93%

Cinema Ticket

$18.40 $18.40

$7.78 ฿257

136.50%

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

$2,142 $2,142

$576 ฿19.0K

271.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.3K $27.3K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

135.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 $61.8

$63.6 ฿2,103

-2.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.85 $46.85

$29.10 ฿961

61.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$96.2 ฿3,179

5.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$90.0 ฿2,974

44.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,761 $2,761

$733 ฿24.2K

276.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 $2,303

$501 ฿16.5K

359.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,192 $4,192

$2,126 ฿70.2K

97.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,747 $3,747

$1,252 ฿41.4K

199.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.7K $12.7K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

258.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,805 $9,805

$2,622 ฿86.6K

273.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

$508 ฿16.8K

839.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

5.57

12.39%

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

Last update for Kailua, HI: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,761 in Kailua, HI and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kailua, HI pays 840% 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: $138 in Kailua, HI vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $632 vs $275 per month, with Phuket 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

Kailua, HI vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 229% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 840% higher in Kailua, HI, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,761 in Kailua, HI versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 279% less than in Kailua, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,142 in Kailua, HI versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $4,159 in Kailua, HI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kailua, HI. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kailua, HI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Kailua, HI 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 229% less than in Kailua, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.