Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaneohe, HI and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaneohe, HI and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,808 in Kaneohe, HI versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,102 in Kaneohe, HI versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,396 in Kaneohe, HI versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Kaneohe, HI is roughly 121% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kaneohe, HI is 110% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.01 $20.01
$4.66 āļŋ150
329.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.4 $55.4
$46.44 āļŋ1,496
19.21%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.63 $10.63
$8.68 āļŋ280
22.47%
Cappuccino
$5.38 $5.38
$2.95 āļŋ95.0
82.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.86 $1.86
$0.70 āļŋ22.52
165.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61 $2.61
$0.39 āļŋ12.70
569.23%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.81 $6.81
$2.53 āļŋ81.6
169.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.03 $6.03
$3.78 āļŋ122
59.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.04 $2.04
$2.22 āļŋ71.5
-8.11%
White Bread (500g)
$5.37 $5.37
$1.80 āļŋ57.8
198.33%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.82 $6.82
$2.19 āļŋ70.4
211.42%
Eggs
$7.64 $7.64
$2.31 āļŋ74.5
230.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.06 $12.06
$19.34 āļŋ623
-37.64%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.04 $11.04
$3.77 āļŋ121
192.84%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.87 $17.87
$13.22 āļŋ426
35.17%
Apples (1kg)
$6.73 $6.73
$3.33 āļŋ107
102.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 $1.63
$1.65 āļŋ53.1
-1.21%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.33 $6.33
$2.29 āļŋ73.7
176.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$8.30 $8.30
$1.99 āļŋ64.1
317.09%
Potato (1kg)
$3.96 $3.96
$1.53 āļŋ49.24
158.82%
Onion (1kg)
$4.66 $4.66
$1.51 āļŋ48.77
208.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.02 $3.02
$1.03 āļŋ33.12
193.20%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.03 $3.03
$0.51 āļŋ16.57
494.12%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.63 $8.63
$4.41 āļŋ142
95.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.15 $7.15
$19.41 āļŋ625
-63.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.50 $2.50
$1.80 āļŋ58.0
38.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.64 $5.64
$2.68 āļŋ86.4
110.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.01 $2.01
$1.43 āļŋ46.11
40.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$40.05 $40.05
$11.70 āļŋ377
242.31%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.52 $3.52
$3.04 āļŋ97.9
15.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.64 $2.64
$1.04 āļŋ33.37
153.85%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.94 $44.94
$13.68 āļŋ441
228.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 $1.27
$1.30 āļŋ41.85
-2.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.9K $29.9K
$27.9K āļŋ898.9K
7.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.0K $25.0K
$33.0K āļŋ1.1M
-24.45%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$235 $235
$123 āļŋ3,962
90.99%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$64.5 $64.5
$13.82 āļŋ445
366.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.3 $67.3
$18.86 āļŋ608
257.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$43.61 $43.61
$61.2 āļŋ1,970
-28.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.81 āļŋ541
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.05 $16.05
$8.87 āļŋ286
80.95%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$903 $903
$696 āļŋ22.4K
29.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.8K $20.8K
$16.1K āļŋ517.4K
29.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.1 $57.1
$59.3 āļŋ1,910
-3.69%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$60.8 $60.8
$34.85 āļŋ1,123
74.52%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$106 $106
$113 āļŋ3,646
-6.29%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 $109
$85.1 āļŋ2,740
28.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,606 $1,606
$615 āļŋ19.8K
161.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,364 $1,364
$448 āļŋ14.4K
204.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,671 $2,671
$2,085 āļŋ67.2K
28.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,208 $2,208
$1,496 āļŋ48.2K
47.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,655 $2,655
$3,734 āļŋ120.3K
-28.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,251 $2,251
$2,662 āļŋ85.8K
-15.42%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Kaneohe, HI
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,441 $4,441
$534 āļŋ17.2K
732.33%
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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,606 in Kaneohe, HI and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaneohe, HI pays 732% 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 in Kaneohe, HI vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $495 vs $291 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 121% 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 732% 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: $1,606 in Kaneohe, HI versus $615 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 $46.00 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 $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,808 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 $1,270 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 121% less than in Kaneohe, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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