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: $516 in Molo versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $847 in Molo versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,178 in Molo versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Molo costs roughly 59% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Molo 62% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.37 KES 696

$4.56 ฿149

17.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.20 KES 4,953

$46.63 ฿1,519

-18.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.68 KES 866

$8.47 ฿276

-21.13%

Cappuccino

$2.43 KES 316

$3.03 ฿98.6

-19.80%

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

$0.72 KES 93.3

$0.69 ฿22.45

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.7

$0.37 ฿11.92

35.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 KES 310

$2.49 ฿81.0

-4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 KES 371

$3.66 ฿119

-21.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 KES 122

$2.18 ฿71.0

-56.88%

White Bread (500g)

$0.53 KES 68.5

$1.90 ฿62.0

-72.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 KES 213

$2.20 ฿71.6

-25.45%

Eggs

$1.68 KES 218

$2.22 ฿72.4

-24.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.60 KES 1,504

$19.99 ฿651

-41.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 KES 866

$3.66 ฿119

82.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.77 KES 749

$13.25 ฿432

-56.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 KES 397

$3.23 ฿105

-5.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.70 ฿55.3

-38.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.10 KES 273

$2.39 ฿78.0

-12.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 KES 132

$2.08 ฿67.7

-50.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.08 KES 140

$1.59 ฿51.8

-32.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$1.48 ฿48.31

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$1.03 ฿33.54

-37.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 KES 96.9

$0.52 ฿16.83

44.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 KES 392

$4.25 ฿138

-28.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.46 KES 1,486

$18.79 ฿612

-39.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 KES 283

$1.76 ฿57.2

23.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 KES 356

$2.76 ฿89.8

-0.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$3.14 ฿102

-49.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 KES 204

$1.04 ฿33.74

51.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 KES 378

$13.77 ฿448

-78.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 KES 203

$1.34 ฿43.79

16.42%

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

$21.3K KES 2.8M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-23.00%

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-41.78%

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

$34.50 KES 4,474

$124 ฿4,025

-72.09%

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

$16.63 KES 2,156

$13.52 ฿440

23.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.70 KES 5,018

$18.69 ฿609

107.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 KES 826

$9.14 ฿298

-30.31%

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

$206 KES 26.8K

$703 ฿22.9K

-70.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,045 KES 1.0M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-49.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.33 KES 2,376

$59.5 ฿1,937

-69.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.45 KES 3,170

$35.07 ฿1,142

-30.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 KES 8,625

$115 ฿3,754

-42.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 KES 7,205

$84.1 ฿2,737

-33.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$388 KES 50.3K

$507 ฿16.5K

-23.43%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 31% 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: $38.00 in Molo vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $205 vs $293 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 145% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Phuket earns 31% less. 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 43% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $516 per month in Molo versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 145% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $516 in Molo versus $1,261 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 145% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.