Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Embu Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Embu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $494 in Embu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $793 in Embu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,092 in Embu.

Living in Phuket is roughly 156% more expensive than Embu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Embu 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$5.48 KES 709

-14.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$31.25 KES 4,046

45.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$5.46 KES 707

54.40%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.27 KES 294

29.07%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.33 KES 43.17

109.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.22 KES 28.30

68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.37 KES 307

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.96 KES 383

25.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.56 KES 72.6

298.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.49 KES 63.4

273.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$0.95 KES 124

128.42%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.70 KES 219

30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.89 KES 503

407.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.26 KES 422

11.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$4.23 KES 547

219.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.13 KES 405

4.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.09 KES 141

47.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.07 KES 268

16.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.40 KES 52.3

420.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.63 KES 81.8

142.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.91 KES 118

62.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.65 KES 84.5

52.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.52 KES 67.0

-1.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.11 KES 403

41.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$11.69 KES 1,513

65.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.29 KES 297

-22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.79 KES 361

-2.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$1.15 KES 149

19.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.57 KES 203

92.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.52 KES 197

-34.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.92 KES 377

382.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.49 KES 193

-8.72%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$21.3K KES 2.8M

32.42%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$12.6K KES 1.6M

161.77%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$34.28 KES 4,438

255.02%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$16.91 KES 2,189

-19.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$37.94 KES 4,911

-51.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$17.66 KES 2,287

241.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.31 KES 557

101.62%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$201 KES 26.0K

245.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$8,024 KES 1.0M

95.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$9.36 KES 1,212

536.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$23.63 KES 3,059

47.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$66.0 KES 8,542

73.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$15.35 KES 1,987

442.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$76.2 KES 9,861

705.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$55.2 KES 7,148

691.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$92.6 KES 12.0K

1530.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$270 KES 34.9K

88.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

14.84

-64.08%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Embu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $76.2 in Embu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 88% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Embu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $147 per month, with Embu 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

Phuket vs Embu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Embu differ by about 156% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $494 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 88% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $76.2 in Embu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $201 in Embu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Embu – a meal for two runs $31.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $494 in Embu versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Embu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Embu 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, Phuket and Embu 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 Embu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 156% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.