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: $4,007 in Kailua, HI versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,853 in Kailua, HI versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,700 in Kailua, HI versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Kailua, HI is roughly 217% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kailua, HI is 199% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.04 $21.04

$4.70 ฿153

347.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$45.37 ฿1,482

123.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 $9.43

$8.43 ฿275

11.86%

Cappuccino

$6.56 $6.56

$2.93 ฿95.6

123.89%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$0.69 ฿22.40

328.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.37 ฿11.99

429.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$2.41 ฿78.6

224.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.80 $8.80

$3.72 ฿122

136.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.23 ฿72.9

-8.52%

White Bread (500g)

$6.65 $6.65

$1.83 ฿59.8

263.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.56 $7.56

$2.17 ฿70.8

248.39%

Eggs

$6.86 $6.86

$2.21 ฿72.3

210.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 $13.06

$19.74 ฿645

-33.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.01 $18.01

$3.63 ฿119

396.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.52 $19.52

$13.53 ฿442

44.27%

Apples (1kg)

$6.94 $6.94

$3.28 ฿107

111.59%

Banana (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.61 ฿52.6

152.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$2.41 ฿78.6

161.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.42 $8.42

$2.08 ฿68.1

304.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.53 ฿49.93

155.56%

Onion (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$1.48 ฿48.36

203.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.57 $4.57

$0.99 ฿32.29

361.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$0.51 ฿16.67

505.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.08 $12.08

$4.41 ฿144

173.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 $12.93

$19.38 ฿633

-33.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.78 ฿58.1

34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.71 ฿88.6

-24.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.37 ฿44.79

185.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 $89.3

$11.39 ฿372

683.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.02 ฿98.6

14.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.64 $2.64

$0.99 ฿32.48

166.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.34 $45.34

$14.10 ฿461

221.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.36 ฿44.51

-5.88%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

4.52%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-25.05%

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

$233 $233

$122 ฿3,975

91.42%

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

$50.5 $50.5

$13.57 ฿443

272.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$18.31 ฿598

265.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.6 $70.6

$60.2 ฿1,967

17.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.80 $40.80

$17.14 ฿560

138.04%

Cinema Ticket

$16.08 $16.08

$8.69 ฿284

85.04%

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

$1,529 $1,529

$693 ฿22.6K

120.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K $20.2K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

28.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$59.5 ฿1,944

-2.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.0 $60.0

$34.77 ฿1,136

72.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$115 ฿3,743

-9.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$83.3 ฿2,720

54.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,810 $2,810

$613 ฿20.0K

358.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,342 $2,342

$437 ฿14.3K

435.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,302 $4,302

$2,094 ฿68.4K

105.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,961 $3,961

$1,509 ฿49.3K

162.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.6K $12.6K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

236.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,885 $9,885

$2,616 ฿85.4K

277.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,734 $4,734

$508 ฿16.6K

831.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

5.33

23.08%

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

Last update for Kailua, HI: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,810 in Kailua, HI and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kailua, HI pays 832% 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: $101 in Kailua, HI vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $577 vs $293 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 217% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Kailua, HI pays 832% more on average, 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: $2,810 in Kailua, HI versus $613 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 684% less than in Kailua, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,529 in Kailua, HI versus $693 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 $4,007 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 217% less than in Kailua, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.