Cost of Living Comparison Between Kayfan and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kayfan and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,398 per month in Kayfan vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,354 per month in Kayfan vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Kayfan vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Kayfan costs about 10% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kayfan sits 4% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.86 KWD 3.03

$4.70 ฿153

109.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.6 KWD 25.03

$45.37 ฿1,482

79.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 KWD 2.70

$8.43 ฿275

4.51%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 KWD 1.15

Cappuccino

$6.00 KWD 1.84

$2.93 ฿95.6

104.78%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 KWD 0.21

$0.69 ฿22.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 KWD 0.11

$0.37 ฿11.99

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 KWD 0.50

$2.23 ฿72.9

-27.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.30 KWD 0.40

$1.83 ฿59.8

-28.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 KWD 0.55

$2.17 ฿70.8

-17.97%

Eggs

$2.06 KWD 0.63

$2.21 ฿72.3

-6.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.26 KWD 1.61

$19.74 ฿645

-73.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.45 KWD 1.98

$3.63 ฿119

77.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 KWD 3.19

$13.53 ฿442

-23.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 KWD 0.75

$3.28 ฿107

-25.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 KWD 0.60

$1.61 ฿52.6

20.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.74 KWD 0.53

$2.41 ฿78.6

-27.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

$2.08 ฿68.1

-31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.53 ฿49.93

-18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.26 KWD 0.39

$1.48 ฿48.36

-14.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 KWD 0.52

$0.99 ฿32.29

69.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.45 KWD 0.14

$0.51 ฿16.67

-11.76%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.32 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.91 KWD 0.89

$4.41 ฿144

-34.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 KWD 0.27

$1.37 ฿44.79

-35.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.51 KWD 13.65

$11.39 ฿372

290.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 KWD 1.03

$3.02 ฿98.6

11.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.30 KWD 1.01

$0.99 ฿32.48

233.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.44 KWD 5.04

$14.10 ฿461

16.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.33 KWD 0.10

$1.36 ฿44.51

-75.74%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$21.7K KWD 6,643

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-23.20%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.0K KWD 6,141

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-39.14%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$61.8 KWD 18.94

$122 ฿3,975

-49.24%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$18.22 KWD 5.59

$13.57 ฿443

34.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.87 KWD 7.93

$18.31 ฿598

41.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$94.8 KWD 29.07

$60.2 ฿1,967

57.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.77 KWD 14.04

$17.14 ฿560

167.04%

Cinema Ticket

$11.41 KWD 3.50

$8.69 ฿284

31.30%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$403 KWD 124

$693 ฿22.6K

-41.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,524 KWD 2,001

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-58.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.50 KWD 12.73

$59.5 ฿1,944

-30.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.28 KWD 13.28

$34.77 ฿1,136

24.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 KWD 26.72

$115 ฿3,743

-23.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 KWD 25.53

$83.3 ฿2,720

-0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$780 KWD 239

$613 ฿20.0K

27.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$619 KWD 190

$437 ฿14.3K

41.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 KWD 488

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-24.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,301 KWD 399

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-13.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,117 KWD 1,263

$508 ฿16.6K

710.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.14

5.33

33.96%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Kayfan: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $780 in Kayfan versus $613 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 710% higher in Kayfan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $82.0 in Kayfan versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Kayfan vs $293 in Phuket – so Kayfan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Kayfan vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kayfan costs about 10% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,096 per month in Kayfan and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 291% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $403 per month in Kayfan and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Kayfan at $1,398. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kayfan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,398 in Kayfan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kayfan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.