Cost of Living Comparison Between Khon Kaen and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Khon Kaen and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $748 per month in Khon Kaen vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,264 per month in Khon Kaen vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,779 per month in Khon Kaen vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Khon Kaen is about 41% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Khon Kaen and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Khon Kaen 44% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.57 ฿51.1

$4.56 ฿149

-65.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.49 ฿993

$46.63 ฿1,519

-34.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.02 ฿196

$8.47 ฿276

-28.93%

Cappuccino

$1.67 ฿54.5

$3.03 ฿98.6

-44.88%

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

$0.64 ฿20.94

$0.69 ฿22.45

-7.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.41

$0.37 ฿11.92

-21.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.79 ฿58.3

$2.49 ฿81.0

-28.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.73 ฿187

$3.66 ฿119

56.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿55.8

$2.18 ฿71.0

-21.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ฿39.60

$1.90 ฿62.0

-35.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ฿30.88

$2.20 ฿71.6

-56.82%

Eggs

$2.58 ฿83.9

$2.22 ฿72.4

16.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.28 ฿595

$19.99 ฿651

-8.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.13 ฿102

$3.66 ฿119

-14.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.61 ฿346

$13.25 ฿432

-19.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 ฿102

$3.23 ฿105

-2.79%

Banana (1kg)

$0.96 ฿31.19

$1.70 ฿55.3

-43.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.58 ฿51.4

$2.39 ฿78.0

-33.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ฿39.16

$2.08 ฿67.7

-42.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 ฿59.4

$1.59 ฿51.8

14.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ฿40.46

$1.48 ฿48.31

-16.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 ฿30.45

$1.03 ฿33.54

-9.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.63

$0.52 ฿16.83

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.57 ฿149

$4.25 ฿138

7.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.8

$1.76 ฿57.2

2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.76 ฿89.8

-12.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ฿29.30

$1.36 ฿44.32

-33.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿34.45

$3.14 ฿102

-66.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 ฿37.00

$1.04 ฿33.74

9.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 ฿198

$13.77 ฿448

-55.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ฿41.17

$1.34 ฿43.79

-5.97%

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

$45.5K ฿1.5M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

64.26%

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

$28.3K ฿920.9K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-16.50%

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

$64.6 ฿2,103

$124 ฿4,025

-47.75%

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

$23.23 ฿757

$13.52 ฿440

71.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.76 ฿741

$18.69 ฿609

21.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.1 ฿2,024

$61.8 ฿2,013

0.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.01 ฿391

$17.25 ฿562

-30.38%

Cinema Ticket

$6.24 ฿203

$9.14 ฿298

-31.73%

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

$294 ฿9,564

$703 ฿22.9K

-58.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,211 ฿300.0K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-41.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.45 ฿992

$59.5 ฿1,937

-48.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.84 ฿1,330

$35.07 ฿1,142

16.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 ฿2,487

$115 ฿3,754

-33.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$63.7 ฿2,076

$84.1 ฿2,737

-24.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$250 ฿8,140

$619 ฿20.1K

-59.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 ฿5,532

$433 ฿14.1K

-60.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$766 ฿24.9K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-62.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$440 ฿14.3K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-70.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

5.33

2.25%

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

Last update for Khon Kaen: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $250 in Khon Kaen versus $619 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 $30.00 in Khon Kaen versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $211 vs $293 – making Khon Kaen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 69%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,122 per month in Khon Kaen and $1,892 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $748 in Khon Kaen and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $294 per month in Khon Kaen and $703 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 Khon Kaen, where all-in costs run around $748, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Khon Kaen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Khon Kaen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Khon Kaen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.