Cost of Living Comparison Between Kununurra and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kununurra and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,261 in Kununurra versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,293 in Kununurra versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,326 in Kununurra versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Kununurra is roughly 79% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kununurra is 70% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kununurra
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.29 A$23.40
$4.48 ฿150
263.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.7 A$112
$45.59 ฿1,525
70.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$9.81 A$14.10
$8.76 ฿293
11.99%
Cappuccino
$3.37 A$4.84
$2.97 ฿99.3
13.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.59 A$3.72
$0.69 ฿22.96
275.36%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.13 A$3.06
$0.39 ฿13.07
446.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.41 A$9.21
$2.53 ฿84.7
153.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.94 A$9.96
$3.75 ฿125
85.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kununurra
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.47 A$2.12
$2.15 ฿71.8
-31.63%
White Bread (500g)
$2.45 A$3.52
$1.82 ฿60.7
34.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.03 A$2.92
$2.18 ฿73.1
-6.88%
Eggs
$4.37 A$6.27
$2.25 ฿75.2
94.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.56 A$12.29
$20.00 ฿669
-57.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$8.63 A$12.40
$3.63 ฿121
137.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.74 A$19.73
$13.56 ฿453
1.33%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 A$4.64
$3.24 ฿109
-0.31%
Banana (1kg)
$2.76 A$3.96
$1.64 ฿54.7
68.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.89 A$4.15
$2.33 ฿78.0
24.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.19 A$6.02
$2.07 ฿69.3
102.42%
Potato (1kg)
$2.49 A$3.58
$1.55 ฿51.8
60.65%
Onion (1kg)
$2.11 A$3.04
$1.46 ฿48.67
44.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.07 A$2.97
$0.98 ฿32.94
111.22%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.59 A$2.29
$0.48 ฿16.13
231.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$24.96 A$35.85
$4.35 ฿146
473.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.77 A$19.78
$18.57 ฿621
-25.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.64 A$6.67
$1.86 ฿62.1
149.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.23 A$7.51
$2.65 ฿88.8
97.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Kununurra
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.64 A$3.79
$1.42 ฿47.40
85.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.8 A$91.6
$11.57 ฿387
451.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.53 A$5.07
$3.17 ฿106
11.36%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.61 A$2.31
$1.03 ฿34.51
56.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$34.04 A$48.89
$13.89 ฿465
145.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.18 A$1.69
$1.34 ฿44.96
-11.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.2K A$42.0K
$27.8K ฿929.6K
5.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.8K A$32.7K
$33.4K ฿1.1M
-31.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kununurra
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$181 A$260
$123 ฿4,116
47.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$27.22 A$39.10
$13.77 ฿461
97.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.5 A$76.8
$18.33 ฿613
191.71%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kununurra
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.06 A$69.0
$60.7 ฿2,030
-20.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.83 A$22.73
$17.16 ฿574
-7.75%
Cinema Ticket
$13.22 A$18.99
$8.87 ฿297
49.04%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kununurra
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,652 A$2,373
$688 ฿23.0K
140.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.0K A$17.3K
$15.8K ฿527.8K
-23.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kununurra
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 A$97.4
$59.3 ฿1,984
14.32%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.5 A$74.0
$34.69 ฿1,160
48.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 A$145
$115 ฿3,853
-12.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108 A$155
$83.8 ฿2,802
28.92%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kununurra
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,274 A$1,830
$621 ฿20.8K
105.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,081 A$1,552
$446 ฿14.9K
142.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,983 A$2,848
$2,034 ฿68.0K
-2.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,704 A$2,447
$1,496 ฿50.0K
13.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$6,924 A$9,946
$3,455 ฿115.6K
100.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$4,350 A$6,248
$2,531 ฿84.7K
71.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kununurra
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$494 ฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.34
5.33
18.95%

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

Last update for Kununurra: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,274 in Kununurra and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $78.0 in Kununurra vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $291 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
Kununurra vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Kununurra or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 79% lower than in Kununurra. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Kununurra and in Phuket?
You'd need roughly $3,391 in Kununurra and $1,896 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Kununurra compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,274 in Kununurra versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Kununurra and in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $78.0 in Kununurra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Kununurra compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,261 per month in Kununurra versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Kununurra or in Phuket?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,261 in Kununurra, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kununurra. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Kununurra or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,264 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Kununurra compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Kununurra 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Kununurra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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