Cost of Living Comparison Between Kimberley and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kimberley and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,150 per month in Kimberley vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,948 per month in Kimberley vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,747 per month in Kimberley vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Kimberley is about 8% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Kimberley and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kimberley 16% lower, Phuket 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.56 R 201

$4.56 ฿150

175.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.73 R 603

$32.62 ฿1,073

15.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.11 R 97.8

$8.90 ฿293

-31.35%

Cappuccino

$3.21 R 51.3

$2.80 ฿92.2

14.64%

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

$1.38 R 22.09

$0.88 ฿28.94

56.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 R 21.56

$0.49 ฿16.08

175.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 R 43.69

$2.39 ฿78.5

14.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 R 45.57

$3.71 ฿122

-23.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 R 26.17

$1.79 ฿58.8

-8.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.20 R 19.21

$1.44 ฿47.40

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 R 49.70

$1.58 ฿52.1

96.84%

Eggs

$2.95 R 47.17

$2.13 ฿69.9

38.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 R 109

$19.92 ฿655

-65.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 R 100

$3.43 ฿113

82.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.85 R 142

$11.33 ฿372

-21.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R 38.37

$2.95 ฿97.0

-18.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 R 41.16

$1.72 ฿56.6

49.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 R 28.52

$2.32 ฿76.5

-23.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.38 R 54.0

$2.08 ฿68.4

62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.32

$1.47 ฿48.34

3.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 R 24.63

$1.36 ฿44.65

13.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 R 21.76

$1.10 ฿36.13

23.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.22

$0.57 ฿18.89

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 R 52.6

$4.27 ฿140

-22.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.85 R 110

$18.42 ฿606

-62.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 R 37.66

$1.87 ฿61.5

26.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 R 47.79

$2.92 ฿96.1

2.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 R 25.46

$2.22 ฿73.0

-28.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.25 R 548

$22.90 ฿753

49.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 R 10.31

$3.03 ฿99.6

-78.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 R 14.59

$1.07 ฿35.32

-14.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.11 R 146

$3.93 ฿129

131.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 R 23.84

$1.49 ฿49.06

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

$36.4K R 581.7K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

34.07%

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

$32.7K R 523.0K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

19.12%

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

$109 R 1,737

$103 ฿3,380

5.63%

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

$35.86 R 574

$10.99 ฿361

226.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.79 R 684

$17.51 ฿576

144.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.00 R 368

$53.5 ฿1,760

-57.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.37 R 118

$7.48 ฿246

-1.47%

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

$261 R 4,167

$557 ฿18.3K

-53.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,764 R 92.2K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-51.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 R 863

$64.1 ฿2,107

-15.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 R 553

$29.07 ฿956

18.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 R 1,692

$96.0 ฿3,155

10.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 R 1,524

$90.3 ฿2,970

5.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 R 4,366

$730 ฿24.0K

-62.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 R 5,447

$500 ฿16.4K

-31.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 R 10.6K

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-68.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$981 R 15.7K

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-18.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$885 R 14.2K

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-75.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$645 R 10.3K

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-74.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$970 R 15.5K

$503 ฿16.6K

92.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

97.49%

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

Last update for Kimberley: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $273 in Kimberley 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 93% higher in Kimberley, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $38.00 in Kimberley versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $238 in Kimberley vs $273 in Phuket – so Kimberley 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

Kimberley vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 9%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,724 per month in Kimberley 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 Kimberley, 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 $1,150 in Kimberley and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Kimberley. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kimberley, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Phuket at $1,253. In Kimberley it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kimberley – 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 Kimberley. 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.