Cost of Living Comparison Between Koror and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Koror and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,705 in Koror versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,675 in Koror versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,645 in Koror versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Koror is roughly 35% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Koror is 28% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.89 $11.89

$4.53 ฿153

162.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$46.36 ฿1,567

64.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 $10.03

$8.65 ฿292

15.95%

Cappuccino

$4.02 $4.02

$3.09 ฿104

30.10%

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

$1.41 $1.41

$0.68 ฿22.93

107.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.37 ฿12.46

181.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.42 ฿81.7

-39.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.81 ฿129

-43.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.18 ฿73.6

22.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.82 ฿61.4

93.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.24 $0.24

$2.18 ฿73.6

-88.99%

Eggs

$6.12 $6.12

$2.24 ฿75.6

173.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.86 $9.86

$19.93 ฿674

-50.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.12 $14.12

$3.64 ฿123

287.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.97 $18.97

$13.56 ฿459

39.90%

Apples (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.29 ฿111

59.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.69 ฿57.0

32.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$2.33 ฿78.9

134.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$16.74 $16.74

$2.03 ฿68.5

724.63%

Potato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$1.60 ฿54.1

187.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.49 ฿50.5

127.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.01 ฿34.23

96.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.48 ฿16.12

256.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.27 $11.27

$4.45 ฿150

153.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.76 $22.76

$18.63 ฿630

22.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.79 ฿60.4

87.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.80 ฿94.5

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿383

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.09 ฿105

-17.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.25

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.92 $5.92

$13.63 ฿461

-56.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.31 ฿44.31

38.17%

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

$17.4K $17.4K

$27.3K ฿922.3K

-36.09%

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

$15.0K $15.0K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-54.97%

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

$123 ฿4,164

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

$51.9 $51.9

$13.81 ฿467

275.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 $131

$18.52 ฿626

608.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 $56.1

$60.4 ฿2,041

-7.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿301

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

$204 $204

$687 ฿23.2K

-70.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,913 $1,913

$15.6K ฿525.7K

-87.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.5 $63.5

$57.6 ฿1,949

10.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.7 $51.7

$34.66 ฿1,172

49.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$148 $148

$115 ฿3,885

28.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$195 $195

$84.9 ฿2,871

130.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$743 $743

$618 ฿20.9K

20.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 $543

$443 ฿15.0K

22.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 $1,731

$2,047 ฿69.2K

-15.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$964 $964

$1,506 ฿50.9K

-35.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$792 $792

$503 ฿17.0K

57.62%

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 Koror: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $743 in Koror and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Koror pays 58% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $76.0 in Koror vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $508 vs $292 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Koror vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Koror and Phuket differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,705 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 58% higher in Koror, 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: $743 in Koror versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 74% higher in Koror. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,705 per month in Koror versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,705 in Koror, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Koror. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Koror 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Koror. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.