🙂A single person spends $1,038 per month in Kimberley vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,752 per month in Kimberley vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,466 per month in Kimberley vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.
🙂Kimberley is about 18% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both Kimberley and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Kimberley23% lower, Phuket6% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kimberley
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.10R 181
$4.70฿153
136.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.16R 541
$45.37฿1,482
-26.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.64R 92.1
$8.43฿275
-33.10%
Cappuccino
$2.75R 44.88
$2.93฿95.6
-6.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24R 20.15
$0.69฿22.40
79.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21R 19.83
$0.37฿11.99
227.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.51R 40.93
$2.41฿78.6
4.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59R 42.22
$3.72฿122
-30.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kimberley
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.49R 24.25
$2.23฿72.9
-33.18%
White Bread(500g)
$1.07R 17.42
$1.83฿59.8
-41.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.79R 45.59
$2.17฿70.8
28.57%
Eggs
$2.74R 44.72
$2.21฿72.3
23.98%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.90R 96.3
$19.74฿645
-70.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.41R 88.2
$3.63฿119
49.04%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.97R 130
$13.53฿442
-41.09%
Apples(1kg)
$2.07R 33.71
$3.28฿107
-36.89%
Banana(1kg)
$2.17R 35.47
$1.61฿52.6
34.78%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.51R 24.69
$2.41฿78.6
-37.34%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.12R 50.8
$2.08฿68.1
50.00%
Potato(1kg)
$2.26R 36.87
$1.53฿49.93
47.71%
Onion(1kg)
$1.21R 19.67
$1.48฿48.36
-18.24%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.23R 20.13
$0.99฿32.29
24.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.82R 13.43
$0.51฿16.67
60.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.86R 46.75
$4.41฿144
-35.15%
Wine(Bottle)
$6.60R 108
$19.38฿633
-65.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.14R 34.87
$1.78฿58.1
20.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61R 42.60
$2.71฿88.6
-3.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Kimberley
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.69R 27.59
$1.37฿44.79
23.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$31.03R 506
$11.39฿372
172.43%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.66R 10.70
$3.02฿98.6
-78.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.94R 15.35
$0.99฿32.48
-5.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.99R 65.1
$14.10฿461
-71.70%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33R 21.70
$1.36฿44.51
-2.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.5KR 351.0K
$28.2K฿921.1K
-23.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$23.5KR 383.3K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-28.62%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kimberley
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$96.2R 1,570
$122฿3,975
-20.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$38.82R 634
$13.57฿443
186.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.57R 744
$18.31฿598
148.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kimberley
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$21.26R 347
$60.2฿1,967
-64.70%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.75R 110
$8.69฿284
-22.32%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kimberley
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$157R 2,559
$693฿22.6K
-77.38%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$4,319R 70.5K
$15.7K฿512.3K
-72.47%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kimberley
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$34.09R 556
$59.5฿1,944
-42.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.86R 520
$34.77฿1,136
-8.37%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$82.8R 1,352
$115฿3,743
-27.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.5R 1,298
$83.3฿2,720
-4.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kimberley
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$249R 4,068
$613฿20.0K
-59.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$311R 5,079
$437฿14.3K
-28.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$584R 9,525
$2,094฿68.4K
-72.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$883R 14.4K
$1,509฿49.3K
-41.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$989R 16.1K
$3,749฿122.5K
-73.62%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$640R 10.4K
$2,616฿85.4K
-75.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kimberley
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$958R 15.6K
$508฿16.6K
88.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
11.51
5.33
115.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kimberley: May 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $249 in Kimberley versus $613 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 89% 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 $33.00 in Kimberley versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $293 – making Kimberley 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
Kimberley vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Kimberley?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 22%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,557 per month in Kimberley and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
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.
What are total monthly expenses in Kimberley vs Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,038 in Kimberley and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 172% less in Kimberley. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Kimberley or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kimberley, where all-in costs run around $1,038, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kimberley it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Kimberley or Phuket more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is safer, Kimberley or Phuket?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
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.