Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingstown and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingstown and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,336 per month in Kingstown vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,100 per month in Kingstown vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,865 per month in Kingstown vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Kingstown costs about 6% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Kingstown sits 0% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kingstown
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.49 EC$20.22
$4.70 ฿153
59.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.9 EC$186
$45.37 ฿1,482
51.88%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.04 EC$29.82
$8.43 ฿275
30.96%
Cappuccino
$3.43 EC$9.25
$2.93 ฿95.6
17.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11 EC$5.70
$0.69 ฿22.40
205.80%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 EC$5.57
$0.37 ฿11.99
456.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.83 EC$4.94
$2.41 ฿78.6
-24.07%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.29 EC$6.17
$3.72 ฿122
-38.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kingstown
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.29 EC$8.89
$2.23 ฿72.9
47.53%
White Bread (500g)
$2.06 EC$5.56
$1.83 ฿59.8
12.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.71 EC$4.61
$2.17 ฿70.8
-21.20%
Eggs
$4.57 EC$12.33
$2.21 ฿72.3
106.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.66 EC$31.47
$19.74 ฿645
-40.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.69 EC$12.66
$3.63 ฿119
29.20%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.50 EC$33.76
$13.53 ฿442
-7.61%
Apples (1kg)
$9.02 EC$24.36
$3.28 ฿107
175.00%
Banana (1kg)
$2.94 EC$7.95
$1.61 ฿52.6
82.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$8.65 EC$23.36
$2.41 ฿78.6
258.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.16 EC$13.92
$2.08 ฿68.1
148.08%
Potato (1kg)
$3.88 EC$10.48
$1.53 ฿49.93
153.59%
Onion (1kg)
$3.32 EC$8.98
$1.48 ฿48.36
124.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$4.08 EC$11.01
$0.99 ฿32.29
312.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.87 EC$7.76
$0.51 ฿16.67
462.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.11 EC$11.09
$4.41 ฿144
-6.80%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.95 EC$45.77
$19.38 ฿633
-12.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.13 EC$5.75
$1.78 ฿58.1
19.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32 EC$6.26
$2.71 ฿88.6
-14.39%
🚌 Getting Around
Kingstown
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.21 EC$3.28
$1.37 ฿44.79
-11.68%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.2 EC$136
$11.39 ฿372
340.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$10.97 EC$29.62
$3.02 ฿98.6
263.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.80 EC$4.85
$0.99 ฿32.48
81.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.05 EC$78.4
$14.10 ฿461
106.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$3.09 EC$8.35
$1.36 ฿44.51
127.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$38.5K EC$103.9K
$28.2K ฿921.1K
36.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.7K EC$82.9K
$32.9K ฿1.1M
-6.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kingstown
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$74.3 EC$201
$122 ฿3,975
-38.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$28.39 EC$76.6
$13.57 ฿443
109.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$55.0 EC$148
$18.31 ฿598
200.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kingstown
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$31.81 EC$85.9
$60.2 ฿1,967
-47.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.58 EC$12.36
$17.14 ฿560
-73.28%
Cinema Ticket
$4.59 EC$12.38
$8.69 ฿284
-47.18%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kingstown
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$121 EC$328
$693 ฿22.6K
-82.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$15.7K ฿512.3K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kingstown
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.8 EC$215
$59.5 ฿1,944
34.07%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$67.3 EC$182
$34.77 ฿1,136
93.47%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.8 EC$248
$115 ฿3,743
-19.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.9 EC$232
$83.3 ฿2,720
3.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kingstown
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$330 EC$891
$613 ฿20.0K
-46.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$326 EC$879
$437 ฿14.3K
-25.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$554 EC$1,495
$2,094 ฿68.4K
-73.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$477 EC$1,288
$1,509 ฿49.3K
-68.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$597 EC$1,612
$3,749 ฿122.5K
-84.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$593 EC$1,600
$2,616 ฿85.4K
-77.34%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kingstown
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,046 EC$2,825
$508 ฿16.6K
105.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
7.5
5.33
40.71%

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

Last update for Kingstown: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $330 in Kingstown 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 106% higher in Kingstown, 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 $69.0 in Kingstown versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 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
Kingstown vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Kingstown?
Yes – Kingstown is pricier by about 6%, 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 $2,003 per month in Kingstown 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 Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 341% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $121 per month in Kingstown and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Kingstown or Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Kingstown at $1,336. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingstown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Kingstown or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Kingstown 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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kingstown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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