😐A single person spends $1,609 per month in Kefalonia vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $2,442 per month in Kefalonia vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,274 per month in Kefalonia vs $3,291 in Phuket, rent included.
😐Kefalonia costs about 28% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Kefalonia sits 20% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kefalonia
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.66€15.53
$4.53฿153
289.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$58.8€51.7
$46.36฿1,562
26.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.54€8.39
$8.65฿291
10.29%
Cappuccino
$3.26€2.87
$3.09฿104
5.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29€2.02
$0.68฿22.85
236.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60€0.53
$0.37฿12.41
62.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.05€4.44
$2.42฿81.4
108.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.78€5.08
$3.81฿128
51.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kefalonia
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.71€1.50
$2.18฿73.4
-21.56%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41€1.24
$1.82฿61.2
-22.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.45€2.16
$2.18฿73.3
12.39%
Eggs
$4.08€3.58
$2.24฿75.3
82.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.37€11.75
$19.93฿671
-32.92%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.49€8.34
$3.64฿123
160.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.65€12.00
$13.56฿457
0.66%
Apples(1kg)
$2.18€1.91
$3.29฿111
-33.74%
Banana(1kg)
$2.14€1.88
$1.69฿56.8
26.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.44€1.27
$2.33฿78.6
-38.20%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07€1.82
$2.03฿68.3
1.97%
Potato(1kg)
$1.26€1.10
$1.60฿53.9
-21.25%
Onion(1kg)
$1.19€1.04
$1.49฿50.4
-20.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03€0.90
$1.01฿34.11
1.98%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82€0.72
$0.48฿16.06
70.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.44€4.79
$4.45฿150
22.25%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.02€6.17
$18.63฿628
-62.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.55€2.24
$1.79฿60.2
42.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77€2.44
$2.80฿94.2
-1.07%
🚌 Getting Around
Kefalonia
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.53€1.35
$1.42฿47.81
7.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.59€40.96
$11.33฿382
311.21%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.56€4.01
$3.09฿104
47.57%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
-
$1.04฿35.13
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.47€11.84
$13.63฿459
-1.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.07€1.82
$1.31฿44.15
58.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.7K€27.9K
$27.3K฿919.1K
16.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K€23.4K
$33.2K฿1.1M
-19.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kefalonia
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$293€258
$123฿4,149
138.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.02€20.24
$13.81฿465
66.69%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.16€28.27
$18.52฿624
73.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kefalonia
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.44€41.70
$60.4฿2,034
-21.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$26.27€23.09
$16.80฿566
56.37%
Cinema Ticket
$9.65€8.48
$8.89฿299
8.55%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kefalonia
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$432€380
$687฿23.1K
-37.07%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,950€5,231
$15.6K฿523.9K
-61.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kefalonia
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.0€78.2
$57.6฿1,942
54.35%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.76€34.07
$34.66฿1,168
11.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.7€87.6
$115฿3,872
-13.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$107€94.4
$84.9฿2,860
26.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kefalonia
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$541€476
$618฿20.8K
-12.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$450€396
$443฿14.9K
1.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,119€984
$2,047฿69.0K
-45.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$839€737
$1,506฿50.7K
-44.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,058€2,689
$3,568฿120.2K
-14.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,252€1,980
$2,511฿84.6K
-10.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kefalonia
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,162€1,022
$503฿16.9K
131.23%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.43
5.33
-16.89%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kefalonia: July 20, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $541 in Kefalonia versus $618 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 131% higher in Kefalonia, 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 $59.0 in Kefalonia versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $278 in Kefalonia vs $292 in Phuket – so Kefalonia 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
Kefalonia vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kefalonia or Phuket?
Kefalonia costs about 28% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kefalonia and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,414 per month in Kefalonia and $1,891 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Kefalonia or Phuket?
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.
How do childcare costs compare in Kefalonia and in Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $432 per month in Kefalonia and $687 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Kefalonia or in Phuket?
Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Kefalonia – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Kefalonia or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Kefalonia at $1,609. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kefalonia it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kefalonia or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,261 versus $1,609 in Kefalonia. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Kefalonia compared to Phuket?
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.
Should I move to Kefalonia or to Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kefalonia makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.