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: $1,253 in Phuket versus $489 in Embu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $789 in Embu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,089 in Embu.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Embu 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$3.93 KES 509

16.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$31.04 KES 4,017

5.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$5.30 KES 686

67.92%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.25 KES 292

24.44%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$0.34 KES 43.64

158.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.22 KES 28.31

122.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.38 KES 308

0.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$2.67 KES 345

38.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$0.55 KES 71.7

225.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.52 KES 67.6

176.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$0.96 KES 124

64.58%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.71 KES 221

24.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$3.78 KES 489

426.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$3.20 KES 414

7.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$4.23 KES 547

167.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$3.32 KES 430

-11.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.04 KES 135

65.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$1.94 KES 251

19.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$0.37 KES 48.42

462.16%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$0.69 KES 89.4

113.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$0.92 KES 119

47.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$0.73 KES 94.9

50.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.53 KES 68.1

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.43 KES 443

24.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$11.70 KES 1,513

57.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$2.25 KES 291

-16.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$2.83 KES 367

3.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$1.14 KES 147

94.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.56 KES 202

94.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$1.52 KES 196

-29.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$2.86 KES 370

37.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.53 KES 198

-2.61%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$20.4K KES 2.6M

32.78%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$12.5K KES 1.6M

119.81%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$60.5 KES 7,827

69.92%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$15.08 KES 1,951

-27.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$35.70 KES 4,619

-50.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$17.09 KES 2,211

213.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$4.13 KES 534

81.11%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$239 KES 30.9K

133.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$11.7K KES 1.5M

1.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$9.17 KES 1,187

598.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$25.70 KES 3,324

13.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$64.3 KES 8,313

49.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$15.23 KES 1,970

493.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$77.7 KES 10.1K

839.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$54.4 KES 7,034

819.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$93.0 KES 12.0K

1199.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$273 KES 35.3K

84.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.71

-62.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Embu: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $77.7 in Embu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 84% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Embu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 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 ($1,253 vs $489 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 84% higher in Phuket, 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: $730 in Phuket versus $77.7 in Embu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $239 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 $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $489 in Embu versus $1,253 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.