😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,805 in Kalgoorlie versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,040 in Kalgoorlie versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,276 in Kalgoorlie versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Kalgoorlie is roughly 43% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Kalgoorlie is 34% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.57A$23.41
$4.56฿149
263.38%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.1A$109
$46.63฿1,519
65.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.99A$14.11
$8.47฿276
17.95%
Cappuccino
$4.35A$6.14
$3.03฿98.6
43.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.56A$5.03
$0.69฿22.45
415.94%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33A$4.71
$0.37฿11.92
800.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.87A$8.30
$2.49฿81.0
135.74%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.79A$9.60
$3.66฿119
85.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.43A$2.02
$2.18฿71.0
-34.40%
White Bread(500g)
$3.19A$4.50
$1.90฿62.0
67.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.98A$2.79
$2.20฿71.6
-10.00%
Eggs
$3.85A$5.43
$2.22฿72.4
73.42%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.76A$12.38
$19.99฿651
-56.18%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.54A$12.06
$3.66฿119
133.33%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.82A$19.53
$13.25฿432
4.30%
Apples(1kg)
$3.34A$4.72
$3.23฿105
3.41%
Banana(1kg)
$2.81A$3.97
$1.70฿55.3
65.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.92A$4.12
$2.39฿78.0
22.18%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.16A$5.87
$2.08฿67.7
100.00%
Potato(1kg)
$2.53A$3.57
$1.59฿51.8
59.12%
Onion(1kg)
$2.09A$2.95
$1.48฿48.31
41.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.00A$2.82
$1.03฿33.54
94.17%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52A$2.14
$0.52฿16.83
192.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$30.33A$42.85
$4.25฿138
613.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.84A$19.55
$18.79฿612
-26.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.61A$6.51
$1.76฿57.2
161.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.33A$7.53
$2.76฿89.8
93.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.61A$3.69
$1.36฿44.32
91.91%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$64.6A$91.3
$11.36฿370
468.49%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.68A$5.19
$3.14฿102
17.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.60A$2.27
$1.04฿33.74
53.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.66A$47.55
$13.77฿448
144.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.24A$1.75
$1.34฿43.79
-7.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.9KA$40.8K
$27.7K฿901.4K
4.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5KA$31.8K
$33.9K฿1.1M
-33.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$288A$407
$124฿4,025
133.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$51.0A$72.1
$13.52฿440
277.51%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.0A$90.4
$18.69฿609
242.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.06A$49.54
$61.8฿2,013
-43.29%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.65A$22.12
$17.25฿562
-9.28%
Cinema Ticket
$16.25A$22.95
$9.14฿298
77.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,639A$2,316
$703฿22.9K
133.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.1KA$17.0K
$15.9K฿517.0K
-24.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8A$95.7
$59.5฿1,937
13.96%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.67A$70.2
$35.07฿1,142
41.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.1A$139
$115฿3,754
-14.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106A$149
$84.1฿2,737
25.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,282A$1,812
$619฿20.1K
107.29%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$457A$645
$433฿14.1K
5.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,602A$2,264
$2,062฿67.2K
-22.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,431A$2,022
$1,511฿49.2K
-5.27%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,389A$7,614
$3,646฿118.7K
47.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,972A$7,025
$2,626฿85.5K
89.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$6,028A$8,517
$507฿16.5K
1088.99%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.34
5.33
18.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kalgoorlie: June 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,282 in Kalgoorlie and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kalgoorlie pays 1089% 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: $77.0 in Kalgoorlie vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $345 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
Kalgoorlie vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kalgoorlie or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Kalgoorlie. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Kalgoorlie or Phuket?
Kalgoorlie pays 1089% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Kalgoorlie vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,282 in Kalgoorlie versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Kalgoorlie vs Phuket?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 468% less than in Kalgoorlie. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Kalgoorlie and Phuket?
Childcare runs $1,639 in Kalgoorlie versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Kalgoorlie or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,805 in Kalgoorlie, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kalgoorlie. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kalgoorlie or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Kalgoorlie compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Kalgoorlie 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Kalgoorlie. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Kalgoorlie vs other spots: cost of living compared