ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $2,254 in Kapfenberg versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $3,358 in Kapfenberg versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,462 in Kapfenberg versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Kapfenberg is roughly 83% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Kapfenberg is 68% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Kapfenberg
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.85âŽ17.81
$4.63āļŋ151
350.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.7âŽ68.1
$46.84āļŋ1,523
70.13%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.79âŽ10.92
$8.84āļŋ287
44.68%
Cappuccino
$4.28âŽ3.65
$3.00āļŋ97.4
42.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66âŽ3.12
$0.74āļŋ24.11
394.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57âŽ2.19
$0.37āļŋ11.88
594.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.78âŽ4.94
$2.44āļŋ79.3
136.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.82âŽ4.11
$3.61āļŋ117
33.52%
ð Groceries & Markets
Kapfenberg
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.61âŽ1.37
$2.26āļŋ73.5
-28.76%
White Bread(500g)
$3.55âŽ3.03
$1.84āļŋ59.8
92.93%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.25âŽ1.92
$2.24āļŋ73.0
0.45%
Eggs
$4.03âŽ3.44
$2.32āļŋ75.3
73.71%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.94âŽ15.32
$19.67āļŋ639
-8.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$15.89âŽ13.57
$3.65āļŋ119
335.34%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.52âŽ20.08
$13.10āļŋ426
79.54%
Apples(1kg)
$2.33âŽ1.99
$3.39āļŋ110
-31.27%
Banana(1kg)
$2.35âŽ2.00
$1.64āļŋ53.4
43.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.32âŽ2.84
$2.41āļŋ78.5
37.76%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.13âŽ3.53
$2.03āļŋ66.0
103.45%
Potato(1kg)
$2.49âŽ2.13
$1.56āļŋ50.6
59.62%
Onion(1kg)
$2.00âŽ1.71
$1.50āļŋ48.66
33.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.98âŽ1.69
$1.02āļŋ33.30
94.12%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.76âŽ0.65
$0.49āļŋ15.91
55.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.89âŽ5.89
$4.45āļŋ145
54.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.51âŽ6.41
$18.88āļŋ614
-60.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.57âŽ1.34
$1.78āļŋ57.7
-11.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.78âŽ1.52
$2.75āļŋ89.5
-35.27%
ð Getting Around
Kapfenberg
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.96âŽ2.52
$1.40āļŋ45.54
111.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$59.6âŽ50.9
$11.48āļŋ373
418.90%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$8.11âŽ6.93
$3.12āļŋ101
159.94%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.13âŽ1.82
$1.00āļŋ32.48
113.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$28.96âŽ24.74
$14.09āļŋ458
105.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.75âŽ1.50
$1.35āļŋ43.93
29.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4KâŽ25.1K
$27.2Kāļŋ883.7K
8.30%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.4KâŽ25.9K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
-7.77%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kapfenberg
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$353âŽ301
$125āļŋ4,063
182.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.87âŽ16.97
$13.57āļŋ441
46.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$40.14âŽ34.28
$18.52āļŋ602
116.74%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Kapfenberg
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.49âŽ40.56
$61.5āļŋ1,999
-22.76%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.07âŽ22.26
$16.84āļŋ547
54.81%
Cinema Ticket
$13.85âŽ11.83
$9.19āļŋ299
50.71%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Kapfenberg
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$72.5âŽ61.9
$698āļŋ22.7K
-89.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,449âŽ3,800
$15.6Kāļŋ506.9K
-71.47%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Kapfenberg
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$101âŽ86.1
$57.8āļŋ1,878
74.62%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.06âŽ34.21
$35.24āļŋ1,146
13.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$118âŽ101
$113āļŋ3,677
4.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124âŽ106
$86.4āļŋ2,808
44.11%
ð Accommodation & Living
Kapfenberg
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$885âŽ756
$616āļŋ20.0K
43.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$814âŽ695
$446āļŋ14.5K
82.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,644âŽ1,404
$2,048āļŋ66.6K
-19.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,277âŽ1,091
$1,492āļŋ48.5K
-14.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,930âŽ5,065
$3,779āļŋ122.8K
56.95%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,217âŽ3,601
$2,649āļŋ86.1K
59.21%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Kapfenberg
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$524āļŋ17.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.89
5.33
-27.02%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kapfenberg: April 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $885 in Kapfenberg and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $80.0 in Kapfenberg vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 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
Kapfenberg vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Kapfenberg?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,381 in Kapfenberg and $1,847 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Kapfenberg and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $885 in Kapfenberg versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $72.5 in Kapfenberg versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Kapfenberg and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Kapfenberg. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Kapfenberg or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,254 in Kapfenberg, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kapfenberg. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Kapfenberg or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kapfenberg, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Kapfenberg or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Kapfenberg 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet â expenses run 83% less than in Kapfenberg. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Kapfenberg vs other spots: cost of living compared