ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,802 in Kalgoorlie versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $3,065 in Kalgoorlie versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,329 in Kalgoorlie versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Kalgoorlie is roughly 46% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Kalgoorlie is 35% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.03A$22.28
$4.63āļŋ151
246.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5A$110
$46.84āļŋ1,523
69.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.65A$13.42
$8.84āļŋ287
9.16%
Cappuccino
$4.20A$5.84
$3.00āļŋ97.4
40.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68A$5.11
$0.74āļŋ24.11
397.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.19A$4.43
$0.37āļŋ11.88
762.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.70A$7.92
$2.44āļŋ79.3
133.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.95A$9.66
$3.61āļŋ117
92.52%
ð Groceries & Markets
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.47A$2.05
$2.26āļŋ73.5
-34.96%
White Bread(500g)
$3.31A$4.59
$1.84āļŋ59.8
79.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.94A$2.70
$2.24āļŋ73.0
-13.39%
Eggs
$3.82A$5.30
$2.32āļŋ75.3
64.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.30A$11.53
$19.67āļŋ639
-57.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.39A$11.67
$3.65āļŋ119
129.86%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.93A$19.36
$13.10āļŋ426
6.34%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23A$4.49
$3.39āļŋ110
-4.72%
Banana(1kg)
$2.75A$3.82
$1.64āļŋ53.4
67.68%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.89A$4.02
$2.41āļŋ78.5
19.92%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.08A$5.67
$2.03āļŋ66.0
100.99%
Potato(1kg)
$2.41A$3.35
$1.56āļŋ50.6
54.49%
Onion(1kg)
$2.10A$2.92
$1.50āļŋ48.66
40.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.98A$2.75
$1.02āļŋ33.30
94.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.54A$2.14
$0.49āļŋ15.91
214.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$30.97A$43.04
$4.45āļŋ145
595.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.27A$19.83
$18.88āļŋ614
-24.42%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$4.60A$6.39
$1.78āļŋ57.7
158.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.41A$7.51
$2.75āļŋ89.5
96.73%
ð Getting Around
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.65A$3.69
$1.40āļŋ45.54
89.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$63.8A$88.6
$11.48āļŋ373
455.31%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.63A$5.04
$3.12āļŋ101
16.35%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.60A$2.23
$1.00āļŋ32.48
60.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$34.10A$47.39
$14.09āļŋ458
142.02%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27A$1.77
$1.35āļŋ43.93
-5.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.3KA$40.7K
$27.2Kāļŋ883.7K
7.83%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8KA$31.7K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
-30.67%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$292A$406
$125āļŋ4,063
133.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.4A$72.8
$13.57āļŋ441
285.92%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.6A$91.1
$18.52āļŋ602
254.05%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.88A$49.87
$61.5āļŋ1,999
-41.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.84A$22.02
$16.84āļŋ547
-5.94%
Cinema Ticket
$16.42A$22.82
$9.19āļŋ299
78.67%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,647A$2,289
$698āļŋ22.7K
135.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.9KA$16.6K
$15.6Kāļŋ506.9K
-23.55%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$68.3A$94.9
$57.8āļŋ1,878
18.25%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.61A$69.0
$35.24āļŋ1,146
40.78%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0A$136
$113āļŋ3,677
-13.39%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108A$151
$86.4āļŋ2,808
25.38%
ð Accommodation & Living
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,264A$1,757
$616āļŋ20.0K
105.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$458A$637
$446āļŋ14.5K
2.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,557A$2,164
$2,048āļŋ66.6K
-23.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,439A$2,001
$1,492āļŋ48.5K
-3.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$6,170A$8,577
$3,779āļŋ122.8K
63.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,985A$6,930
$2,649āļŋ86.1K
88.22%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Kalgoorlie
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$6,167A$8,572
$524āļŋ17.0K
1077.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.34
5.33
18.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kalgoorlie: April 28, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,264 in Kalgoorlie and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Kalgoorlie pays 1077% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
ðDining out: $79.0 in Kalgoorlie vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $292 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 â living expenses run 46% 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 1077% 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: $1,264 in Kalgoorlie versus $616 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 455% 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 $1,647 in Kalgoorlie versus $698 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 $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,802 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 â similar infrastructure at $1,232 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 â expenses run 46% 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