Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Khon Kaen and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

For one person, living is cheaper in Khon Kaen: $608 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Khon Kaen

🇹🇭 Thailand

$608

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Khon Kaen and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Khon Kaen and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $608 per month in Khon Kaen vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Khon Kaen $608
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $1,024 per month in Khon Kaen vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Khon Kaen $1,024
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $1,440 per month in Khon Kaen vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Khon Kaen $1,440
Phuket $3,154

Khon Kaen is about 52% cheaper than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Khon Kaen and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Khon Kaen 55% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿103

$4.47 ฿151

-31.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.92 ฿1,010

$32.41 ฿1,094

-7.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ฿200

$8.81 ฿297

-32.69%

Cappuccino

$1.46 ฿49.36

$2.83 ฿95.4

-48.41%

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

$0.59 ฿19.82

$0.87 ฿29.42

-32.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.82

$0.49 ฿16.66

-40.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 ฿58.0

$2.56 ฿86.3

-32.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.73 ฿227

$3.68 ฿124

82.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.32

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ฿29.14

$1.50 ฿50.5

-42.67%

Eggs

$2.47 ฿83.5

$2.09 ฿70.5

18.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 ฿29.33

$1.69 ฿57.0

-48.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.25 ฿75.8

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$1.38 ฿46.54

8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ฿20.84

$1.07 ฿35.97

-42.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.70

$0.52 ฿17.51

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 ฿55.5

$1.82 ฿61.5

-9.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿40.57

$1.02 ฿34.34

17.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ฿44.67

$1.47 ฿49.78

-10.20%

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

$44.6K ฿1.5M

$26.8K ฿903.7K

66.48%

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

$26.5K ฿895.7K

$26.7K ฿900.8K

-0.57%

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

$94.7 ฿3,195

$96.4 ฿3,252

-1.75%

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

$17.99 ฿607

$11.26 ฿380

59.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.73 ฿1,003

$16.85 ฿569

76.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 ฿2,008

$67.2 ฿2,269

-11.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$5.85 ฿197

$7.50 ฿253

-22.00%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,970 ฿302.7K

$11.3K ฿380.1K

-20.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.04 ฿1,014

$62.4 ฿2,105

-51.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.83 ฿1,176

$28.41 ฿959

22.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.8 ฿2,489

$94.3 ฿3,182

-21.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.5 ฿3,055

$85.8 ฿2,896

5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 ฿9,445

$716 ฿24.2K

-60.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$156 ฿5,264

$491 ฿16.6K

-68.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.6K

$1,927 ฿65.0K

-62.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$480 ฿16.2K

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-66.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Khon Kaen: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Khon Kaen

–

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Groceries & Markets

Khon Kaen

–

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Khon Kaen

–

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Clothing & Footwear

Khon Kaen

–

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Eating Out

Khon Kaen

–

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Sport & Entertainment

Khon Kaen

–

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Getting Around

Khon Kaen

–

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Khon Kaen versus $716 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Khon Kaen versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $45 vs $266 – making Khon Kaen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Khon Kaen

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

18:40 6:40 PM

Same time as Khon Kaen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

114,459

79,308

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Khon Kaen Phuket 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Khon Kaen
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Khon Kaen vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 110%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $913 per month in Khon Kaen and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Khon Kaen, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $280 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Groceries cost about 498% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30 in Khon Kaen and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Khon Kaen, where all-in costs run around $608, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Khon Kaen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $608 in Khon Kaen to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.