Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kilifi and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $630 per month in Kilifi vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,038 per month in Kilifi vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,446 per month in Kilifi vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Kilifi is about 50% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 54% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.96 KES 254

$4.56 ฿150

-57.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.48 KES 6,402

$32.62 ฿1,073

51.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.37 KES 307

$8.90 ฿293

-73.37%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 254

$2.80 ฿92.2

-30.00%

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

$0.81 KES 104

$0.88 ฿28.94

-7.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.7

$0.49 ฿16.08

53.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.56 KES 202

$2.39 ฿78.5

-34.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 KES 141

$1.79 ฿58.8

-39.11%

White Bread (500g)

$0.83 KES 108

$1.44 ฿47.40

-42.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 KES 267

$1.58 ฿52.1

30.38%

Eggs

$1.93 KES 250

$2.13 ฿69.9

-9.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.95 KES 1,028

$11.33 ฿372

-29.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 KES 303

$2.95 ฿97.0

-20.68%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 KES 93.2

$1.72 ฿56.6

-58.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.72 KES 223

$2.32 ฿76.5

-25.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$2.08 ฿68.4

-76.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 KES 104

$1.47 ฿48.34

-45.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.36 ฿44.65

-42.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.05

$0.57 ฿18.89

-57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 KES 1,617

$18.42 ฿606

-32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 KES 223

$1.87 ฿61.5

-8.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

$2.22 ฿73.0

-64.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.93 KES 3,485

$22.90 ฿753

17.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 KES 178

$1.49 ฿49.06

-7.38%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

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

$15.34 KES 1,985

$103 ฿3,380

-85.08%

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

$10.23 KES 1,323

$10.99 ฿361

-6.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.09 KES 3,246

$17.51 ฿576

43.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.14 KES 3,641

$53.5 ฿1,760

-47.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.51 KES 971

$7.48 ฿246

0.40%

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

$161 KES 20.8K

$557 ฿18.3K

-71.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,960 KES 641.7K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-58.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.61 KES 1,243

$64.1 ฿2,107

-85.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.06 KES 1,172

$29.07 ฿956

-68.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.33 KES 1,983

$96.0 ฿3,155

-84.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.41 KES 2,252

$90.3 ฿2,970

-80.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$328 KES 42.5K

$730 ฿24.0K

-55.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$307 KES 39.8K

$500 ฿16.4K

-38.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 KES 35.4K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-86.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$564 KES 72.9K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-53.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$228 KES 29.4K

$503 ฿16.6K

-54.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

43.63%

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

Last update for Kilifi: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $328 in Kilifi versus $730 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 121% higher in Phuket, 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 $49.00 in Kilifi versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $125 in Kilifi vs $273 in Phuket – so Kilifi 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

Kilifi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $630 in Kilifi, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 99% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $944 per month in Kilifi and $1,880 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kilifi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $161 per month in Kilifi and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 119% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kilifi, where all-in costs run around $630, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Kilifi 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 $630 in Kilifi to $1,253 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Kilifi. 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.