Cost of Living Comparison Between Kone and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kone and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $455 in Kone versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $695 in Kone versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $935 in Kone versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Kone costs roughly 63% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Kone 67% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.2 CFPF 5,486

$32.26 ฿1,077

64.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 CFPF 152

$0.55 ฿18.24

167.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.63 CFPF 1,817

$4.26 ฿142

313.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 CFPF 1,626

$19.09 ฿637

-17.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

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

$174 CFPF 17.9K

$102 ฿3,420

69.43%

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

$11.33 ฿378

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$97.4 CFPF 10.0K

$17.40 ฿581

459.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 CFPF 5,810

$52.1 ฿1,738

8.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$118 CFPF 12.2K

$63.0 ฿2,104

87.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 CFPF 7,527

$98.0 ฿3,272

-25.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 CFPF 60.7K

$738 ฿24.6K

-20.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,539 CFPF 158.7K

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-26.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,944 CFPF 303.6K

$494 ฿16.5K

496.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Kone: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $589 in Kone and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kone pays 497% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $53.0 in Kone vs $32.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $49.00 vs $274, with Kone cheaper for home cooking.

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

Kone vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kone wins on cost – living expenses run 171% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 497% higher in Kone, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $589 in Kone versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $455 per month in Kone versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 171% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 456% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $455 in Kone versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kone but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kone delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $455 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kone hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kone and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 171% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.