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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,316 per month in Kayfan vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,247 per month in Kayfan vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,177 per month in Kayfan vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Kayfan costs about 7% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kayfan and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kayfan 4% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.21 KWD 3.44

$4.41 ฿147

154.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.4 KWD 20.09

$32.26 ฿1,073

102.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 KWD 2.70

$8.93 ฿297

-1.79%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 KWD 0.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 KWD 1.50

Cappuccino

$5.13 KWD 1.58

$2.90 ฿96.3

76.90%

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

$0.76 KWD 0.23

$0.88 ฿29.27

-13.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 KWD 0.10

$0.48 ฿16.00

-35.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 KWD 0.51

$1.87 ฿62.0

-11.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 KWD 0.45

$1.47 ฿48.75

0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 KWD 0.59

$1.55 ฿51.6

23.87%

Eggs

$2.12 KWD 0.65

$2.10 ฿69.9

0.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 KWD 1.34

$19.59 ฿651

-77.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.79 KWD 2.09

$3.42 ฿114

98.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.44 KWD 3.21

$11.38 ฿378

-8.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 KWD 0.75

$2.98 ฿99.2

-18.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 KWD 0.57

$1.68 ฿56.0

10.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.87 KWD 0.57

$2.21 ฿73.5

-15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 KWD 0.48

$2.16 ฿71.9

-28.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

$1.52 ฿50.7

-12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

$1.34 ฿44.49

7.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 KWD 0.70

$1.13 ฿37.53

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 KWD 0.18

$0.55 ฿18.17

7.27%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 KWD 0.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 KWD 0.83

$4.26 ฿142

-36.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.85 KWD 0.26

$2.23 ฿74.1

-61.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.80 KWD 1.48

$3.03 ฿101

58.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

$1.02 ฿34.02

224.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.95 KWD 4.90

$3.89 ฿129

310.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.36 KWD 0.11

$1.49 ฿49.57

-75.84%

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

$20.8K KWD 6,399

$26.6K ฿883.8K

-21.67%

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

$20.2K KWD 6,211

$27.0K ฿898.7K

-25.23%

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

$66.9 KWD 20.54

$102 ฿3,407

-34.76%

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

$22.58 KWD 6.94

$11.33 ฿377

99.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.99 KWD 9.22

$17.40 ฿578

72.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.6 KWD 30.59

$52.1 ฿1,732

91.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$11.49 KWD 3.53

$7.69 ฿256

49.41%

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

$300 KWD 92.1

$561 ฿18.6K

-46.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,516 KWD 2,924

$11.5K ฿382.6K

-17.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.08 KWD 11.39

$63.0 ฿2,096

-41.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.11 KWD 12.33

$29.52 ฿982

35.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 KWD 29.64

$98.0 ฿3,259

-1.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.7 KWD 27.58

$88.5 ฿2,943

1.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$823 KWD 253

$738 ฿24.5K

11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$583 KWD 179

$482 ฿16.0K

20.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,695 KWD 521

$2,107 ฿70.0K

-19.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,409 KWD 433

$1,226 ฿40.8K

14.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,064 KWD 1,249

$494 ฿16.4K

723.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.57

17.24%

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

Last update for Kayfan: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $823 in Kayfan versus $738 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 723% 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 $65.0 in Kayfan versus $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $187 in Kayfan vs $274 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 7% 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 $1,975 per month in Kayfan and $1,847 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,316 in Kayfan and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $300 per month in Kayfan and $561 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 $1,232, than in Kayfan at $1,316. 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 $1,232 versus $1,316 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.