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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,347 per month in Kingston vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,286 per month in Kingston vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,226 per month in Kingston vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Kingston costs about 86% 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

$16.77 CA$23.33

$4.70 ฿153

256.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 CA$104

$45.37 ฿1,482

64.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.29 CA$15.70

$8.43 ฿275

33.93%

Cappuccino

$3.55 CA$4.94

$2.93 ฿95.6

21.16%

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

$1.88 CA$2.62

$0.69 ฿22.40

172.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 CA$1.98

$0.37 ฿11.99

283.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.78 CA$8.04

$2.41 ฿78.6

139.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.62 CA$9.20

$3.72 ฿122

77.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 CA$3.57

$2.23 ฿72.9

15.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 CA$3.55

$1.83 ฿59.8

39.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.06 CA$5.64

$2.17 ฿70.8

87.10%

Eggs

$2.92 CA$4.06

$2.21 ฿72.3

32.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.55 CA$14.67

$19.74 ฿645

-46.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.30 CA$15.71

$3.63 ฿119

211.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 CA$16.44

$13.53 ฿442

-12.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 CA$5.06

$3.28 ฿107

10.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 CA$1.83

$1.61 ฿52.6

-18.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.59

$2.41 ฿78.6

66.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 CA$6.62

$2.08 ฿68.1

128.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 CA$4.97

$1.53 ฿49.93

133.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 CA$3.20

$1.48 ฿48.36

55.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 CA$4.16

$0.99 ฿32.29

202.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 CA$2.34

$0.51 ฿16.67

229.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.60 CA$18.91

$4.41 ฿144

208.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.50 CA$17.39

$19.38 ฿633

-35.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 CA$3.16

$1.78 ฿58.1

27.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 CA$4.80

$2.71 ฿88.6

27.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.64 CA$3.67

$1.37 ฿44.79

92.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 CA$83.5

$11.39 ฿372

427.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.23 CA$4.49

$3.02 ฿98.6

6.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 CA$2.11

$0.99 ฿32.48

53.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.53 CA$46.63

$14.10 ฿461

137.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 CA$1.53

$1.36 ฿44.51

-19.12%

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

$25.1K CA$34.9K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-11.03%

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

$21.0K CA$29.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-36.05%

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

$134 CA$186

$122 ฿3,975

9.81%

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

$43.78 CA$60.9

$13.57 ฿443

222.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.5 CA$109

$18.31 ฿598

328.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.93 CA$44.41

$60.2 ฿1,967

-46.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.31 CA$12.95

$17.14 ฿560

-45.68%

Cinema Ticket

$11.16 CA$15.51

$8.69 ฿284

28.42%

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

$434 CA$604

$693 ฿22.6K

-37.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K CA$16.2K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-25.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.04 CA$64.0

$59.5 ฿1,944

-22.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.14 CA$48.86

$34.77 ฿1,136

1.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.7 CA$133

$115 ฿3,743

-16.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 CA$131

$83.3 ฿2,720

13.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 CA$1,778

$613 ฿20.0K

108.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,146 CA$1,594

$437 ฿14.3K

162.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,064 CA$2,870

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-1.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,643 CA$2,285

$1,509 ฿49.3K

8.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,486 CA$4,848

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-7.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,498 CA$3,474

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-4.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,996 CA$4,167

$508 ฿16.6K

489.70%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,278 in Kingston 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 490% 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 $75.0 in Kingston versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $293 – 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: $2,347 in Kingston, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 86% apart. Kingston costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,521 per month in Kingston and $1,898 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 $2,347 in Kingston and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 427% 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 $1,265, than in Kingston at $2,347. 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 $1,265 in Phuket to $2,347 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.