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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $498 in Embu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $791 in Embu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,084 in Embu.

Living in Phuket is roughly 151% more expensive than in Embu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$5.29 KES 684

-13.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$31.17 KES 4,027

48.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$5.31 KES 686

66.48%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.26 KES 292

35.40%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.33 KES 43.05

121.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.22 KES 28.39

81.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.27 KES 293

7.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.96 KES 382

27.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.51 KES 66.5

343.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.52 KES 67.0

248.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.95 KES 122

136.84%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.71 KES 221

31.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$3.83 KES 495

409.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.25 KES 420

12.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$4.07 KES 526

220.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.03 KES 391

6.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.04 KES 134

55.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.07 KES 268

14.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.40 KES 51.8

407.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.68 KES 87.2

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.90 KES 117

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.66 KES 84.9

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.53 KES 68.4

-1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.12 KES 403

42.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$11.67 KES 1,508

56.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.28 KES 295

-18.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.78 KES 360

-3.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.19 KES 154

18.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.52 KES 196

104.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.57 KES 203

-33.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.97 KES 383

375.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.44 KES 186

-9.03%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$21.8K KES 2.8M

27.67%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$12.3K KES 1.6M

170.96%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$34.82 KES 4,499

251.64%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$16.52 KES 2,134

-17.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$38.04 KES 4,916

-50.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$17.29 KES 2,234

249.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.20 KES 543

115.95%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$199 KES 25.8K

254.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$8,200 KES 1.1M

92.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$9.43 KES 1,219

520.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$24.50 KES 3,166

44.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$65.8 KES 8,501

75.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$15.59 KES 2,015

437.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$77.8 KES 10.1K

703.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$55.1 KES 7,116

708.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$93.5 KES 12.1K

1495.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$268 KES 34.6K

86.67%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Embu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $77.8 in Embu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 87% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Embu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $146 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 151% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $498 including rent). Embu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 87% 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: $626 in Phuket versus $77.8 in Embu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $199 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $498 in Embu versus $1,250 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 151% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.