Cost of Living Comparison Between Kearney, NE and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kearney, NE and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,042 in Kearney, NE versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,852 in Kearney, NE versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,663 in Kearney, NE versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Kearney, NE is roughly 66% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kearney, NE is 49% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.15 $15.15

$4.41 ฿147

243.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.9 $60.9

$32.26 ฿1,077

88.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 $12.04

$8.93 ฿298

34.83%

Cappuccino

$5.28 $5.28

$2.90 ฿96.6

82.07%

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

$2.12 $2.12

$0.88 ฿29.38

140.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.48 ฿16.06

258.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.35 ฿78.5

68.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.72 ฿124

31.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.87 ฿62.3

-56.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.47 ฿48.94

8.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$1.55 ฿51.8

147.74%

Eggs

$3.56 $3.56

$2.10 ฿70.1

69.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 $8.96

$19.59 ฿654

-54.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$3.42 ฿114

97.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.38 ฿380

28.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.98 ฿99.6

56.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.68 ฿56.2

16.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.21 ฿73.7

162.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.16 ฿72.1

65.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.52 ฿50.9

15.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.34 ฿44.67

130.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.13 ฿37.67

61.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$0.55 ฿18.24

380.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.09 $9.09

$4.26 ฿142

113.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 $15.04

$19.09 ฿637

-21.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.78 ฿59.4

-2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.78 ฿92.9

-27.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.03 ฿101

-3.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.02 ฿34.15

32.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.63 $24.63

$3.89 ฿130

533.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.49 ฿49.77

-35.57%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-8.93%

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

$28.0K $28.0K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

3.73%

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

$266 $266

$102 ฿3,420

159.10%

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

$66.3 $66.3

$11.33 ฿378

484.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$17.40 ฿581

294.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.6 $55.6

$52.1 ฿1,738

6.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.14 $6.14

$11.07 ฿370

-44.53%

Cinema Ticket

$12.54 $12.54

$7.69 ฿257

63.07%

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

$974 $974

$561 ฿18.7K

73.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K $19.4K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

68.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.78 $29.78

$63.0 ฿2,104

-52.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.60 $37.60

$29.52 ฿986

27.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.5 $96.5

$98.0 ฿3,272

-1.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$88.5 ฿2,954

31.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 $1,010

$738 ฿24.6K

36.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 $869

$482 ฿16.1K

80.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,517 $1,517

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-27.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,189 $1,189

$1,226 ฿40.9K

-2.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,530 $1,530

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-57.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,558 $1,558

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-40.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,642 $7,642

$494 ฿16.5K

1448.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.57

9.16%

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

Last update for Kearney, NE: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,010 in Kearney, NE and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kearney, NE pays 1448% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $61.0 in Kearney, NE vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $327 vs $274 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

Kearney, NE vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kearney, NE and Phuket differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($2,042 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1448% higher in Kearney, NE, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,010 in Kearney, NE versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Kearney, NE. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,042 per month in Kearney, NE versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,042 in Kearney, NE, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kearney, NE. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Kearney, NE 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Kearney, NE. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.