Cost of Living Comparison Between Molo and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Molo and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $509 in Molo versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $843 in Molo versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,176 in Molo versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Molo costs roughly 60% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Molo 62% lower, Phuket 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.51 KES 713

$4.48 ฿150

22.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.20 KES 5,067

$45.59 ฿1,521

-14.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 KES 888

$8.76 ฿292

-21.58%

Cappuccino

$2.45 KES 316

$2.97 ฿99.0

-17.51%

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

$0.72 KES 92.7

$0.69 ฿22.90

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 69.5

$0.39 ฿13.04

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 KES 294

$2.53 ฿84.4

-10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 KES 370

$3.75 ฿125

-23.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 KES 119

$2.15 ฿71.6

-57.21%

White Bread (500g)

$0.57 KES 73.8

$1.82 ฿60.6

-68.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 KES 206

$2.18 ฿72.9

-27.06%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 217

$2.25 ฿75.0

-25.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.53 KES 1,490

$20.00 ฿667

-42.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 KES 885

$3.63 ฿121

88.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.46 KES 706

$13.56 ฿452

-59.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.14 KES 406

$3.24 ฿108

-3.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.64 ฿54.6

-34.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 KES 276

$2.33 ฿77.8

-8.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 KES 137

$2.07 ฿69.1

-48.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$1.55 ฿51.6

-33.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 KES 145

$1.46 ฿48.54

-23.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.4

$0.98 ฿32.86

-33.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 105

$0.48 ฿16.09

68.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 KES 393

$4.35 ฿145

-30.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 KES 1,514

$18.57 ฿620

-36.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 KES 287

$1.86 ฿61.9

19.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 KES 346

$2.65 ฿88.6

1.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 KES 194

$3.17 ฿106

-52.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 KES 195

$1.03 ฿34.41

46.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 KES 366

$13.89 ฿463

-79.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 KES 206

$1.34 ฿44.84

18.66%

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

$21.7K KES 2.8M

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-21.97%

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

$20.2K KES 2.6M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-39.49%

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

$34.40 KES 4,447

$123 ฿4,105

-72.04%

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

$17.11 KES 2,211

$13.77 ฿459

24.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.29 KES 5,078

$18.33 ฿611

114.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$6.28 KES 812

$8.87 ฿296

-29.20%

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

$202 KES 26.1K

$688 ฿22.9K

-70.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,932 KES 1.0M

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-49.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.28 KES 2,363

$59.3 ฿1,978

-69.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.43 KES 3,157

$34.69 ฿1,157

-29.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.2 KES 8,560

$115 ฿3,843

-42.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 KES 7,361

$83.8 ฿2,794

-32.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$390 KES 50.4K

$494 ฿16.5K

-20.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.84

5.33

178.42%

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

Last update for Molo: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 27% 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: $39.00 in Molo vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $207 vs $291 per month, with Molo 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

Molo vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 148% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 27% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $509 per month in Molo versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 148% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $509 in Molo versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Molo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Molo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Molo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Molo 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 Molo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 148% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.