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: $4,049 in Kailua, HI versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,926 in Kailua, HI versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,804 in Kailua, HI versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Kailua, HI is roughly 224% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kailua, HI is 203% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.85 $20.85

$4.55 ฿153

358.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.1 $98.1

$46.18 ฿1,554

112.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.38 $9.38

$8.84 ฿298

6.11%

Cappuccino

$6.67 $6.67

$3.06 ฿103

117.97%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$0.73 ฿24.42

304.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.40 ฿13.40

407.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 $8.23

$2.43 ฿81.8

238.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.89 $8.89

$3.78 ฿127

135.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.26 ฿76.0

-10.18%

White Bread (500g)

$6.75 $6.75

$1.81 ฿60.9

272.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.36 $7.36

$2.25 ฿75.8

227.11%

Eggs

$6.84 $6.84

$2.25 ฿75.6

204.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.91 $12.91

$19.51 ฿656

-33.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.11 $18.11

$3.65 ฿123

396.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.77 $19.77

$13.05 ฿439

51.49%

Apples (1kg)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.23 ฿109

116.10%

Banana (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.62 ฿54.4

146.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$2.38 ฿80.2

179.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.34 $8.34

$2.03 ฿68.2

310.84%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.53 ฿51.6

147.71%

Onion (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$1.50 ฿50.5

201.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.79 $4.79

$0.98 ฿32.93

388.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.52 ฿17.40

486.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.99 $11.99

$4.44 ฿149

170.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.03 $13.03

$18.32 ฿616

-28.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.86 ฿62.7

36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.68 ฿90.2

-20.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.41 ฿47.49

181.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.5 $88.5

$11.70 ฿394

656.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.11 ฿105

11.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.04 ฿35.08

146.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.12 $45.12

$14.11 ฿475

219.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.31 ฿44.13

-3.05%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

7.70%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-25.69%

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

$230 $230

$122 ฿4,120

87.74%

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

$50.5 $50.5

$13.59 ฿457

271.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.0 $68.0

$18.70 ฿629

263.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 $68.8

$60.5 ฿2,035

13.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.29 $40.29

$16.98 ฿572

137.28%

Cinema Ticket

$16.05 $16.05

$9.07 ฿305

76.96%

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

$1,482 $1,482

$706 ฿23.8K

109.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K $20.2K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

27.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.6 $56.6

$58.6 ฿1,970

-3.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.0 $60.0

$35.36 ฿1,190

69.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$115 ฿3,885

-9.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$83.7 ฿2,818

53.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,712 $2,712

$626 ฿21.1K

333.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$445 ฿15.0K

432.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,344 $4,344

$2,040 ฿68.7K

112.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,979 $3,979

$1,492 ฿50.2K

166.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.5K $12.5K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

260.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,972 $9,972

$2,577 ฿86.7K

287.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,746 $4,746

$500 ฿16.8K

849.39%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,712 in Kailua, HI and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kailua, HI pays 849% 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: $98.0 in Kailua, HI vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $579 vs $289 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 224% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 849% 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: $2,712 in Kailua, HI versus $626 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 656% less than in Kailua, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,482 in Kailua, HI versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $4,049 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 224% less than in Kailua, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.