Cost of Living Comparison Between Ketchikan, AK and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ketchikan, AK and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,880 in Ketchikan, AK versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,061 in Ketchikan, AK versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,243 in Ketchikan, AK versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Ketchikan, AK is roughly 127% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ketchikan, AK is 115% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.97 $18.97

$4.66 ฿150

307.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$46.44 ฿1,496

59.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 $11.01

$8.68 ฿280

26.84%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$2.95 ฿95.0

70.51%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$0.70 ฿22.52

255.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.39 ฿12.70

402.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.12 $6.12

$2.53 ฿81.6

141.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.21 $7.21

$3.78 ฿122

90.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.22 ฿71.5

-54.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.46 $3.46

$1.80 ฿57.8

92.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.19 ฿70.4

102.28%

Eggs

$3.33 $3.33

$2.31 ฿74.5

44.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$19.34 ฿623

-35.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.30 $11.30

$3.77 ฿121

199.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 $15.61

$13.22 ฿426

18.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$3.33 ฿107

50.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.65 ฿53.1

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.29 ฿73.7

89.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$1.99 ฿64.1

142.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.53 ฿49.24

86.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.51 ฿48.77

93.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.03 ฿33.12

96.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.51 ฿16.57

317.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.50 $9.50

$4.41 ฿142

115.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.38 $16.38

$19.41 ฿625

-15.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.80 ฿58.0

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.68 ฿86.4

22.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.43 ฿46.11

42.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.97 $24.97

$11.70 ฿377

113.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$3.04 ฿97.9

14.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.04 ฿33.37

52.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.98 $28.98

$13.68 ฿441

111.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.30 ฿41.85

-16.92%

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

$29.0K $29.0K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

3.99%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-22.43%

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

$188 $188

$123 ฿3,962

53.05%

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

$53.0 $53.0

$13.82 ฿445

283.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 $66.8

$18.86 ฿608

254.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 $42.67

$61.2 ฿1,970

-30.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$13.36 $13.36

$8.87 ฿286

50.62%

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

$1,285 $1,285

$696 ฿22.4K

84.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

48.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 $50.3

$59.3 ฿1,910

-15.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.38 $40.38

$34.85 ฿1,123

15.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.6 $85.6

$113 ฿3,646

-24.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$85.1 ฿2,740

30.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,625 $1,625

$615 ฿19.8K

164.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 $1,606

$448 ฿14.4K

258.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,405 $2,405

$2,085 ฿67.2K

15.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,464 $2,464

$1,496 ฿48.2K

64.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,775 $2,775

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-25.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,810 $2,810

$2,662 ฿85.8K

5.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,486 $4,486

$534 ฿17.2K

740.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.33

22.14%

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

Last update for Ketchikan, AK: April 22, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,625 in Ketchikan, AK and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ketchikan, AK pays 741% 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: $74 in Ketchikan, AK vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $389 vs $291 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

Ketchikan, AK vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ketchikan, AK and Phuket differ by about 127% in total monthly costs ($2,880 vs $1,270 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Ketchikan, AK pays 741% more on average, 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: $1,625 in Ketchikan, AK versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,285 in Ketchikan, AK versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Ketchikan, AK. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,880 in Ketchikan, AK, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ketchikan, AK. 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, Ketchikan, AK 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 127% less than in Ketchikan, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.