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: $1,813 in Koror versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,853 in Koror versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,892 in Koror versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Koror is roughly 45% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Koror is 32% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.78 $11.78

$4.56 ฿150

158.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.6 $74.6

$32.62 ฿1,073

128.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 $10.20

$8.90 ฿293

14.61%

Cappuccino

$4.17 $4.17

$2.80 ฿92.3

48.93%

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

$1.41 $1.41

$0.88 ฿28.96

60.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.49 ฿16.09

112.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.39 ฿78.6

-38.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$3.71 ฿122

-39.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.79 ฿58.8

45.25%

White Bread (500g)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.44 ฿47.43

134.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.26 $0.26

$1.58 ฿52.1

-83.54%

Eggs

$6.03 $6.03

$2.13 ฿70.0

183.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.04 $10.04

$19.92 ฿655

-49.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.62 $13.62

$3.43 ฿113

297.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.21 $19.21

$11.33 ฿373

69.55%

Apples (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$2.95 ฿97.0

78.64%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.72 ฿56.6

29.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$2.32 ฿76.5

141.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$16.49 $16.49

$2.08 ฿68.5

692.79%

Potato (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$1.47 ฿48.37

205.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$1.36 ฿44.68

141.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.10 ฿36.15

79.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.57 ฿18.90

201.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.30 $11.30

$4.27 ฿140

164.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.21 $22.21

$18.42 ฿606

20.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$1.87 ฿61.6

79.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.92 ฿96.1

11.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.03 ฿99.7

-16.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 $6.03

$3.93 ฿129

53.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.49 ฿49.09

28.86%

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

$17.3K $17.3K

$27.1K ฿892.5K

-36.40%

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

$15.3K $15.3K

$27.5K ฿903.2K

-44.31%

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

$103 ฿3,382

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

$51.7 $51.7

$10.99 ฿362

370.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$197 $197

$17.51 ฿576

1023.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.5 $81.5

$53.5 ฿1,761

52.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$255 $255

$557 ฿18.3K

-54.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿390.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.6 $85.6

$64.1 ฿2,108

33.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.8 $64.8

$29.07 ฿957

122.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$197 $197

$96.0 ฿3,157

105.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$195 $195

$90.3 ฿2,972

116.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$725 $725

$730 ฿24.0K

-0.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$524 $524

$500 ฿16.4K

4.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

$2,090 ฿68.8K

3.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$958 $958

$1,209 ฿39.8K

-20.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$786 $786

$503 ฿16.6K

56.08%

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 Koror: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $725 in Koror and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Koror pays 56% 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: $75.0 in Koror vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $502 vs $273 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,813 vs $1,253 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 56% 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: $725 in Koror versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 84% higher in Koror. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,813 per month in Koror versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,813 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 45% less than in Koror. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.