Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaka and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaka and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,188 per month in Kaka vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,274 per month in Kaka vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,360 per month in Kaka vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Kaka costs about 78% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kaka sits 60% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.57 TMT 106

$4.41 ฿147

615.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.1 TMT 292

$32.26 ฿1,077

170.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.97 TMT 43.46

$8.93 ฿298

45.24%

Cappuccino

$6.95 TMT 23.30

$2.90 ฿96.6

139.66%

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

$1.56 TMT 5.22

$0.88 ฿29.38

77.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 TMT 2.77

$0.48 ฿16.06

72.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 TMT 19.35

$2.35 ฿78.5

145.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$13.80 TMT 46.24

$3.72 ฿124

270.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.40 TMT 14.73

$1.87 ฿62.3

135.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.09 TMT 7.00

$1.47 ฿48.94

42.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.69 TMT 19.07

$1.55 ฿51.8

267.10%

Eggs

$5.95 TMT 19.92

$2.10 ฿70.1

183.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$37.71 TMT 126

$19.59 ฿654

92.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$20.20 TMT 67.7

$3.42 ฿114

490.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.26 TMT 77.9

$11.38 ฿380

104.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 TMT 17.30

$2.98 ฿99.6

73.15%

Banana (1kg)

$8.31 TMT 27.84

$1.68 ฿56.2

394.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.58 TMT 25.39

$2.21 ฿73.7

242.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 TMT 12.52

$2.16 ฿72.1

73.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.34 TMT 7.86

$1.52 ฿50.9

53.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 TMT 4.93

$1.34 ฿44.67

9.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.73 TMT 9.14

$1.13 ฿37.67

141.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 TMT 3.75

$0.55 ฿18.24

103.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.58 TMT 85.7

$4.26 ฿142

500.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$41.35 TMT 139

$19.09 ฿637

116.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.19 TMT 17.39

$1.78 ฿59.4

191.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 TMT 9.34

$2.78 ฿92.9

0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 TMT 9.33

$3.03 ฿101

-7.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.84 TMT 2.83

$1.02 ฿34.15

-17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.82 TMT 29.54

$3.89 ฿130

126.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.41 TMT 1.38

$1.49 ฿49.77

-72.48%

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

$43.7K TMT 146.5K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

64.55%

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

$57.5K TMT 192.7K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

112.80%

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

$561 TMT 1,880

$102 ฿3,420

447.58%

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

$58.2 TMT 195

$11.33 ฿378

414.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 TMT 347

$17.40 ฿581

494.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$8.81 TMT 29.52

$7.69 ฿257

14.56%

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

$23.08 TMT 77.3

$561 ฿18.7K

-95.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.9K TMT 83.3K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

116.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 TMT 184

$63.0 ฿2,104

-12.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$113 TMT 379

$29.52 ฿986

283.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$361 TMT 1,208

$98.0 ฿3,272

267.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$192 TMT 642

$88.5 ฿2,954

116.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.5

5.57

70.56%

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

Last update for Kaka: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in Kaka versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $669 vs $274 – making Phuket 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

Kaka vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaka costs about 78% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,282 per month in Kaka and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,188 in Kaka and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $23.08 per month in Kaka and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Kaka at $2,188. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kaka it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,188 in Kaka. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kaka makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.