Cost of Living Comparison Between Karabuk and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Karabuk and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,006 in Karabuk versus $1,232 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,517 in Karabuk versus $2,255 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,028 in Karabuk versus $3,279 in Phuket.
🙂Living in Karabuk costs roughly 18% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Karabuk25% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Karabuk
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.03₺317
$4.63฿151
51.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$21.97₺991
$46.84฿1,523
-53.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43₺380
$8.84฿287
-4.64%
Cappuccino
$2.71₺122
$3.00฿97.4
-9.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24₺55.9
$0.74฿24.11
67.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74₺33.29
$0.37฿11.88
100.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.61₺118
$2.44฿79.3
6.97%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27₺102
$3.61฿117
-37.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Karabuk
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.74₺33.19
$2.26฿73.5
-67.26%
White Bread(500g)
$0.37₺16.48
$1.84฿59.8
-79.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.09₺94.2
$2.24฿73.0
-6.70%
Eggs
$3.31₺149
$2.32฿75.3
42.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.40₺334
$19.67฿639
-62.38%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.48₺292
$3.65฿119
77.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.54₺565
$13.10฿426
-4.27%
Apples(1kg)
$0.99₺44.67
$3.39฿110
-70.80%
Banana(1kg)
$1.51₺67.9
$1.64฿53.4
-7.93%
Oranges(1kg)
$0.75₺33.62
$2.41฿78.5
-68.88%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.00₺44.99
$2.03฿66.0
-50.74%
Potato(1kg)
$0.77₺34.93
$1.56฿50.6
-50.64%
Onion(1kg)
$0.67₺30.24
$1.50฿48.66
-55.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.54₺24.12
$1.02฿33.30
-47.06%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.37₺16.60
$0.49฿15.91
-24.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.12₺95.8
$4.45฿145
-52.36%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.60₺253
$18.88฿614
-70.34%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00₺90.2
$1.78฿57.7
12.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59₺117
$2.75฿89.5
-5.82%
🚌 Getting Around
Karabuk
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.67₺30.15
$1.40฿45.54
-52.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$31.01₺1,398
$11.48฿373
170.12%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.73₺32.94
$3.12฿101
-76.60%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.60₺27.08
$1.00฿32.48
-40.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$7.73₺349
$14.09฿458
-45.14%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.22₺55.1
$1.35฿43.93
-9.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K₺1.6M
$27.2K฿883.7K
31.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.8K₺1.7M
$32.9K฿1.1M
17.88%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Karabuk
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$88.0₺3,967
$125฿4,063
-29.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.42₺290
$13.57฿441
-52.69%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.78₺576
$18.52฿602
-30.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Karabuk
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.78₺1,929
$61.5฿1,999
-30.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.57₺341
$16.84฿547
-55.05%
Cinema Ticket
$4.96₺224
$9.19฿299
-46.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Karabuk
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$309₺14.0K
$698฿22.7K
-55.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,837₺398.5K
$15.6K฿506.9K
-43.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Karabuk
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.47₺1,148
$57.8฿1,878
-55.90%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.43₺1,598
$35.24฿1,146
0.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$50.7₺2,287
$113฿3,677
-55.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$51.1₺2,305
$86.4฿2,808
-40.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Karabuk
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$506₺22.8K
$616฿20.0K
-17.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$388₺17.5K
$446฿14.5K
-13.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$893₺40.3K
$2,048฿66.6K
-56.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$711₺32.0K
$1,492฿48.5K
-52.36%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,357₺61.2K
$3,779฿122.8K
-64.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$957₺43.1K
$2,649฿86.1K
-63.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Karabuk
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,344₺60.6K
$524฿17.0K
156.67%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
40
5.33
650.47%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Karabuk: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $506 in Karabuk and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Karabuk pays 157% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $22.00 in Karabuk vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $292 per month, with Karabuk 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
Karabuk vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Karabuk or Phuket?
Karabuk wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Karabuk the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Karabuk or Phuket?
Karabuk pays 157% 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 Karabuk vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $506 in Karabuk versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Karabuk or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Karabuk vs Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Karabuk – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Karabuk or Phuket?
At $1,006 in Karabuk versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Karabuk but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Karabuk the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Karabuk or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Karabuk delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,006 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Karabuk hard to pass up.
How safe is Karabuk compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Karabuk 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 Karabuk gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.