Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Phi Phi and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Phi Phi and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,913 per month in Koh Phi Phi vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,716 per month in Koh Phi Phi vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,518 per month in Koh Phi Phi vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Koh Phi Phi costs about 52% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Koh Phi Phi sits 42% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.01 ฿228

$4.56 ฿149

53.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 ฿2,297

$46.63 ฿1,519

51.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.81 ฿417

$8.47 ฿276

51.24%

Cappuccino

$4.63 ฿151

$3.03 ฿98.6

52.81%

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

$1.09 ฿35.49

$0.69 ฿22.45

57.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 ฿19.02

$0.37 ฿11.92

56.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.62 ฿118

$2.49 ฿81.0

45.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.62 ฿183

$3.66 ฿119

53.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 ฿87.5

$2.18 ฿71.0

23.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 ฿73.2

$1.90 ฿62.0

18.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 ฿88.3

$2.20 ฿71.6

23.18%

Eggs

$2.66 ฿86.6

$2.22 ฿72.4

19.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.59 ฿768

$19.99 ฿651

18.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.66 ฿119

20.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 ฿510

$13.25 ฿432

18.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.99 ฿130

$3.23 ฿105

23.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 ฿63.6

$1.70 ฿55.3

14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.89 ฿94.0

$2.39 ฿78.0

20.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.08 ฿67.7

14.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 ฿62.1

$1.59 ฿51.8

20.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.73 ฿56.4

$1.48 ฿48.31

16.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.18 ฿38.34

$1.03 ฿33.54

14.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ฿19.92

$0.52 ฿16.83

17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.09 ฿166

$4.25 ฿138

19.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.06 ฿751

$18.79 ฿612

22.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 ฿68.7

$1.76 ฿57.2

19.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ฿106

$2.76 ฿89.8

17.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 ฿64.4

$1.36 ฿44.32

45.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.14 ฿102

40.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 ฿47.15

$1.04 ฿33.74

39.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.54 ฿636

$13.77 ฿448

41.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.83 ฿59.7

$1.34 ฿43.79

36.57%

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

$38.4K ฿1.3M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

38.67%

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

$46.1K ฿1.5M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

36.08%

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

$136 ฿4,419

$124 ฿4,025

9.77%

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

$15.31 ฿499

$13.52 ฿440

13.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.16 ฿657

$18.69 ฿609

7.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.0 ฿2,345

$61.8 ฿2,013

16.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.34 ฿663

$17.25 ฿562

17.91%

Cinema Ticket

$10.76 ฿350

$9.14 ฿298

17.72%

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

$819 ฿26.7K

$703 ฿22.9K

16.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K ฿617.3K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

19.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 ฿1,982

$59.5 ฿1,937

2.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.87 ฿1,201

$35.07 ฿1,142

5.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 ฿3,878

$115 ฿3,754

3.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.3 ฿2,842

$84.1 ฿2,737

3.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,333 ฿43.4K

$619 ฿20.1K

115.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 ฿32.1K

$433 ฿14.1K

128.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,472 ฿145.7K

$2,062 ฿67.2K

116.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,321 ฿108.2K

$1,511 ฿49.2K

119.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,079 ฿263.1K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

121.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,792 ฿188.7K

$2,626 ฿85.5K

120.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Koh Phi Phi: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,333 in Koh Phi Phi versus $619 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Koh Phi Phi versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 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

Koh Phi Phi vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,913 in Koh Phi Phi, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 52% apart. Koh Phi Phi costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,870 per month in Koh Phi Phi and $1,892 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 $1,913 in Koh Phi Phi and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $819 per month in Koh Phi Phi and $703 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Koh Phi Phi at $1,913. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Koh Phi Phi 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 $1,261 in Phuket to $1,913 in Koh Phi Phi. 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, Koh Phi Phi makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.