Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingston and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,337 per month in Kingston vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,282 per month in Kingston vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,227 per month in Kingston vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Kingston costs about 87% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Kingston sits 75% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.88 CA$23.76

$4.55 ฿153

270.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.9 CA$103

$46.18 ฿1,553

57.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.55 CA$16.25

$8.84 ฿297

30.66%

Cappuccino

$3.52 CA$4.95

$3.06 ฿103

15.03%

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

$1.90 CA$2.67

$0.73 ฿24.40

160.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 CA$1.93

$0.40 ฿13.39

242.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.77 CA$8.13

$2.43 ฿81.8

137.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.60 CA$9.28

$3.78 ฿127

74.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.54 CA$3.58

$2.26 ฿76.0

12.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.42 CA$3.40

$1.81 ฿60.9

33.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 CA$5.60

$2.25 ฿75.8

76.89%

Eggs

$2.94 CA$4.14

$2.25 ฿75.5

30.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.82 CA$15.23

$19.51 ฿656

-44.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.48 CA$16.15

$3.65 ฿123

214.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 CA$16.53

$13.05 ฿439

-9.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.67 CA$5.17

$3.23 ฿109

13.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.85

$1.62 ฿54.4

-19.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 CA$5.87

$2.38 ฿80.1

75.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 CA$6.59

$2.03 ฿68.1

130.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 CA$4.82

$1.53 ฿51.6

124.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.24

$1.50 ฿50.5

53.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.10 CA$4.36

$0.98 ฿32.91

216.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 CA$2.38

$0.52 ฿17.39

225.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.62 CA$19.17

$4.44 ฿149

206.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.09 CA$17.01

$18.32 ฿616

-34.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 CA$3.29

$1.86 ฿62.7

25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 CA$4.70

$2.68 ฿90.1

24.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 CA$3.56

$1.41 ฿47.46

79.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.7 CA$84.1

$11.70 ฿393

410.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.21 CA$4.52

$3.11 ฿105

3.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 CA$2.12

$1.04 ฿35.06

45.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.15 CA$46.65

$14.11 ฿474

134.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 CA$1.52

$1.31 ฿44.10

-17.56%

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

$25.2K CA$35.4K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-9.55%

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

$21.4K CA$30.1K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-35.63%

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

$131 CA$185

$122 ฿4,118

7.20%

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

$44.09 CA$62.0

$13.59 ฿457

224.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 CA$110

$18.70 ฿629

318.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.46 CA$45.68

$60.5 ฿2,034

-46.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.30 CA$13.08

$16.98 ฿571

-45.23%

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 CA$15.38

$9.07 ฿305

20.51%

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

$445 CA$626

$706 ฿23.8K

-37.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K CA$16.3K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-26.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.61 CA$65.6

$58.6 ฿1,969

-20.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.56 CA$50.0

$35.36 ฿1,189

0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 CA$133

$115 ฿3,883

-18.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 CA$132

$83.7 ฿2,816

11.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,310 CA$1,844

$626 ฿21.0K

109.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 CA$1,664

$445 ฿15.0K

165.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 CA$2,935

$2,040 ฿68.6K

2.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 CA$2,350

$1,492 ฿50.2K

11.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,419 CA$4,811

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-1.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,453 CA$3,452

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-4.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,010 CA$4,235

$500 ฿16.8K

502.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

5.33

25.52%

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

Last update for Kingston: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,310 in Kingston 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 502% higher in Kingston, 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 $73.0 in Kingston versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $289 – making Phuket 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

Kingston vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,337 in Kingston, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 87% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,505 per month in Kingston 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 Phuket, 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 $2,337 in Kingston and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 411% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Kingston at $2,337. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingston 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 $1,250 in Phuket to $2,337 in Kingston. 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kingston makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.