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 $436 per month in Kilifi vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $782 per month in Kilifi vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,128 per month in Kilifi vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Kilifi is about 65% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kilifi and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kilifi 67% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 KES 291

$4.55 ฿153

-50.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 KES 6,573

$46.18 ฿1,550

10.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.30 KES 297

$8.84 ฿297

-73.98%

Cappuccino

$1.90 KES 246

$3.06 ฿103

-37.91%

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

$0.74 KES 95.8

$0.73 ฿24.36

1.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 KES 101

$0.40 ฿13.37

95.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.98 KES 256

$2.43 ฿81.6

-18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$2.26 ฿75.8

-61.06%

White Bread (500g)

$0.81 KES 104

$1.81 ฿60.8

-55.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 KES 246

$2.25 ฿75.7

-15.56%

Eggs

$1.80 KES 233

$2.25 ฿75.4

-20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿655

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿122

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿438

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 KES 298

$3.23 ฿109

-28.48%

Banana (1kg)

$0.85 KES 109

$1.62 ฿54.3

-47.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 KES 236

$2.38 ฿80.0

-23.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.66 KES 84.7

$2.03 ฿68.0

-67.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$1.53 ฿51.5

-58.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.64 KES 82.4

$1.50 ฿50.4

-57.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.85

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.24 KES 31.15

$0.52 ฿17.36

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 KES 1,656

$18.32 ฿615

-30.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 KES 253

$1.86 ฿62.6

4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 KES 101

$1.41 ฿47.37

-44.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.55 KES 3,559

$11.70 ฿393

135.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿104

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 KES 103

$1.04 ฿35.00

-23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 KES 177

$1.31 ฿44.02

4.58%

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

$27.8K ฿933.8K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$15.61 KES 2,017

$122 ฿4,110

-87.25%

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

$10.28 KES 1,329

$13.59 ฿456

-24.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.26 KES 3,263

$18.70 ฿628

35.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.03 KES 3,622

$60.5 ฿2,031

-53.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

Cinema Ticket

$7.62 KES 985

$9.07 ฿305

-15.99%

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

$162 KES 20.9K

$706 ฿23.7K

-77.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,072 KES 655.3K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-67.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.52 KES 1,229

$58.6 ฿1,965

-83.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$8.67 KES 1,121

$35.36 ฿1,187

-75.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.59 KES 2,014

$115 ฿3,876

-86.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$17.13 KES 2,213

$83.7 ฿2,811

-79.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 KES 22.8K

$626 ฿21.0K

-71.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$113 KES 14.6K

$445 ฿14.9K

-74.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 KES 35.5K

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-86.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$266 KES 34.4K

$1,492 ฿50.1K

-82.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$235 KES 30.4K

$500 ฿16.8K

-52.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

50.09%

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

Last update for Kilifi: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $177 in Kilifi versus $626 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 113% 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 $51.0 in Kilifi versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $100 in Kilifi vs $289 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: $436 in Kilifi, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 187% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $655 per month in Kilifi and $1,875 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 $162 per month in Kilifi and $706 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 188% 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 $436, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $436 in Kilifi to $1,250 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.