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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,369 per month in Kayfan vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Kayfan vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,285 per month in Kayfan vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

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

Kayfan sits 2% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.67 KWD 2.97

$4.55 ฿153

112.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.9 KWD 24.86

$46.18 ฿1,554

75.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 KWD 2.79

$8.84 ฿298

2.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 KWD 0.75

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.76 KWD 1.16

Cappuccino

$5.89 KWD 1.81

$3.06 ฿103

92.48%

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

$0.65 KWD 0.20

$0.73 ฿24.42

-10.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 KWD 0.11

$0.40 ฿13.40

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 KWD 0.50

$2.26 ฿76.0

-28.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.24 KWD 0.38

$1.81 ฿60.9

-31.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 KWD 0.52

$2.25 ฿75.8

-24.44%

Eggs

$2.05 KWD 0.63

$2.25 ฿75.6

-8.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.19 KWD 1.60

$19.51 ฿656

-73.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.56 KWD 2.02

$3.65 ฿123

79.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.47 KWD 3.22

$13.05 ฿439

-19.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 KWD 0.73

$3.23 ฿109

-26.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.99 KWD 0.61

$1.62 ฿54.4

22.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 KWD 0.53

$2.38 ฿80.2

-27.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 KWD 0.46

$2.03 ฿68.2

-26.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 KWD 0.38

$1.53 ฿51.6

-19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

$1.50 ฿50.5

-12.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 KWD 0.50

$0.98 ฿32.93

67.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 KWD 0.15

$0.52 ฿17.40

-5.77%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.16 KWD 0.97

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.88 KWD 0.89

$4.44 ฿149

-35.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 KWD 0.26

$1.41 ฿47.49

-40.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.06 KWD 13.54

$11.70 ฿394

276.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.20 KWD 0.98

$3.11 ฿105

2.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 KWD 0.98

$1.04 ฿35.08

206.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.41 KWD 5.04

$14.11 ฿475

16.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.34 KWD 0.10

$1.31 ฿44.13

-74.05%

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

$21.2K KWD 6,526

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-23.68%

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

$20.0K KWD 6,145

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-39.82%

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

$62.1 KWD 19.08

$122 ฿4,120

-49.31%

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

$18.68 KWD 5.74

$13.59 ฿457

37.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.59 KWD 7.87

$18.70 ฿629

36.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$93.8 KWD 28.83

$60.5 ฿2,035

55.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.54 KWD 14.00

$16.98 ฿572

168.20%

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 KWD 3.52

$9.07 ฿305

26.24%

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

$410 KWD 126

$706 ฿23.8K

-42.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,634 KWD 2,039

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-58.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.83 KWD 12.86

$58.6 ฿1,970

-28.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.84 KWD 12.86

$35.36 ฿1,190

18.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 KWD 26.68

$115 ฿3,885

-24.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$82.3 KWD 25.28

$83.7 ฿2,818

-1.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$786 KWD 242

$626 ฿21.1K

25.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$610 KWD 188

$445 ฿15.0K

37.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 KWD 488

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-22.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,268 KWD 390

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-15.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,122 KWD 1,267

$500 ฿16.8K

724.70%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $786 in Kayfan versus $626 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 725% 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 $81.0 in Kayfan versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $180 in Kayfan vs $289 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 $2,054 per month in Kayfan and $1,875 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 277% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $410 per month in Kayfan and $706 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 $1,250, than in Kayfan at $1,369. 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 $1,250 versus $1,369 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.