😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,773 in Kaneohe, HI versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,045 in Kaneohe, HI versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,317 in Kaneohe, HI versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Kaneohe, HI is roughly 120% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Kaneohe, HI is 106% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.82$19.82
$4.56฿150
334.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.4$55.4
$46.63฿1,535
18.83%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.46$10.46
$8.47฿279
23.49%
Cappuccino
$5.66$5.66
$3.03฿99.7
86.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84$1.84
$0.69฿22.69
166.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49$2.49
$0.37฿12.04
572.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.92$6.92
$2.49฿81.9
177.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.95$5.95
$3.66฿120
62.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.10$2.10
$2.18฿71.8
-3.67%
White Bread(500g)
$5.61$5.61
$1.90฿62.6
195.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$6.81$6.81
$2.20฿72.4
209.55%
Eggs
$7.53$7.53
$2.22฿73.2
239.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.03$12.03
$19.99฿658
-39.82%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.22$11.22
$3.66฿121
206.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.36$17.36
$13.25฿436
31.02%
Apples(1kg)
$7.04$7.04
$3.23฿106
117.96%
Banana(1kg)
$1.58$1.58
$1.70฿55.9
-7.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.29$6.29
$2.39฿78.8
163.18%
Tomato(1kg)
$8.16$8.16
$2.08฿68.4
292.31%
Potato(1kg)
$3.97$3.97
$1.59฿52.4
149.69%
Onion(1kg)
$4.58$4.58
$1.48฿48.83
209.46%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.02$3.02
$1.03฿33.90
193.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$3.03$3.03
$0.52฿17.01
482.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.43$8.43
$4.25฿140
98.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.85$6.85
$18.79฿618
-63.54%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.50$2.50
$1.76฿57.8
42.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.72$5.72
$2.76฿90.8
107.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.99$1.99
$1.36฿44.79
46.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.59$39.59
$11.36฿374
248.50%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.52$3.52
$3.14฿103
12.10%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.69$2.69
$1.04฿34.10
158.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$45.06$45.06
$13.77฿453
227.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.28$1.28
$1.34฿44.26
-4.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.4K$30.4K
$27.7K฿911.1K
9.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K$24.6K
$33.9K฿1.1M
-27.47%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$231$231
$124฿4,069
87.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$65.6$65.6
$13.52฿445
385.06%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.7$66.7
$18.69฿615
257.09%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.59$43.59
$61.8฿2,035
-29.49%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿568
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.97$15.97
$9.14฿301
74.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$884$884
$703฿23.1K
25.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$20.1K$20.1K
$15.9K฿522.5K
26.71%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.4$57.4
$59.5฿1,958
-3.55%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$59.9$59.9
$35.07฿1,154
70.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$107$107
$115฿3,795
-7.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110$110
$84.1฿2,767
31.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,622$1,622
$619฿20.4K
162.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,358$1,358
$433฿14.2K
213.98%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,617$2,617
$2,062฿67.9K
26.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,251$2,251
$1,511฿49.7K
48.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,638$2,638
$3,646฿120.0K
-27.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,072$2,072
$2,626฿86.4K
-21.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,424$4,424
$507฿16.7K
772.63%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.5
5.33
3.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kaneohe, HI: June 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,622 in Kaneohe, HI and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kaneohe, HI pays 773% 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: $55.0 in Kaneohe, HI vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $497 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
Kaneohe, HI vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kaneohe, HI or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 120% lower than in Kaneohe, HI. 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 Kaneohe, HI or Phuket?
Kaneohe, HI pays 773% 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 Kaneohe, HI vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,622 in Kaneohe, HI versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Kaneohe, HI or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Kaneohe, HI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Kaneohe, HI vs Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $55.0 in Kaneohe, HI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Kaneohe, HI or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,773 in Kaneohe, HI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kaneohe, HI. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kaneohe, HI 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 Kaneohe, HI compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Kaneohe, 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 120% less than in Kaneohe, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Kaneohe, HI vs other spots: cost of living compared