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: $1,665 in Koror versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,691 in Koror versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,718 in Koror versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Koror is roughly 32% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Koror is 24% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.82 $11.82

$4.56 ฿150

159.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 $75.9

$46.63 ฿1,533

62.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 $10.20

$8.47 ฿278

20.43%

Cappuccino

$4.02 $4.02

$3.03 ฿99.5

32.67%

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

$1.35 $1.35

$0.69 ฿22.65

95.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 $1.10

$0.37 ฿12.03

197.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.49 ฿81.8

-38.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.66 ฿120

-39.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.18 ฿71.7

22.48%

White Bread (500g)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.90 ฿62.5

85.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.24 $0.24

$2.20 ฿72.3

-89.09%

Eggs

$6.10 $6.10

$2.22 ฿73.1

174.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.10 $10.10

$19.99 ฿657

-49.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.13 $14.13

$3.66 ฿120

286.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.39 $19.39

$13.25 ฿436

46.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.23 ฿106

64.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.70 ฿55.8

27.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$2.39 ฿78.7

127.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$16.48 $16.48

$2.08 ฿68.3

692.31%

Potato (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.59 ฿52.3

187.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.48 ฿48.76

122.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.03 ฿33.85

99.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.52 ฿16.99

225.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.34 $11.34

$4.25 ฿140

166.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.88 $22.88

$18.79 ฿618

21.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.76 ฿57.8

97.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.76 ฿90.6

18.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.73

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.14 ฿103

-21.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.05

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 $6.04

$13.77 ฿452

-56.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.34 ฿44.20

29.85%

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

$17.2K $17.2K

$27.7K ฿909.7K

-37.73%

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

$14.8K $14.8K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-56.26%

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

$124 ฿4,062

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

$51.6 $51.6

$13.52 ฿444

281.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$131 $131

$18.69 ฿614

598.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 $54.2

$61.8 ฿2,032

-12.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿300

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

$201 $201

$703 ฿23.1K

-71.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,893 $1,893

$15.9K ฿521.7K

-88.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 $62.7

$59.5 ฿1,955

5.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.7 $52.7

$35.07 ฿1,153

50.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$147 $147

$115 ฿3,789

27.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$192 $192

$84.1 ฿2,763

128.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 $752

$619 ฿20.3K

21.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 $544

$433 ฿14.2K

25.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,770 $1,770

$2,062 ฿67.8K

-14.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$971 $971

$1,511 ฿49.7K

-35.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿119.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$777 $777

$507 ฿16.7K

53.35%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $752 in Koror and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Koror pays 53% 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 $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $508 vs $293 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 32% in total monthly costs ($1,665 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Koror pays 53% more on average, 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: $752 in Koror versus $619 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 $1,665 per month in Koror versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,665 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 32% less than in Koror. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.