Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Garissa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Garissa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $467 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $774 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,082 in Garissa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 168% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Garissa 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$6.55 KES 846

-30.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$23.28 KES 3,008

98.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$2.78 KES 359

217.99%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.36 KES 563

-29.82%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.15 KES 148

-36.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.68 KES 87.5

-41.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.88 KES 243

29.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.74 KES 354

37.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.86 KES 111

162.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.52 KES 66.8

248.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.10 KES 142

104.55%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.70 KES 219

32.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.28 KES 811

-41.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$4.31 KES 557

202.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.03 KES 391

6.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.35 KES 304

-31.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$3.14 KES 405

-24.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.68 KES 88.2

198.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.86 KES 112

77.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.13 KES 145

32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.66 KES 84.8

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$0.48 KES 62.1

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.37 KES 306

87.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$5.65 KES 730

224.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.83 KES 237

1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$3.34 KES 432

-19.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.36 KES 304

31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.07 KES 139

22.43%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$9,144 KES 1.2M

263.26%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$15.34 KES 1,982

698.17%

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$22.96 KES 2,967

-18.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$23.01 KES 2,973

162.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$11.45 KES 1,480

411.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$7.86 KES 1,015

349.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$23.53 KES 3,040

390.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$22.86 KES 2,953

266.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$103 KES 13.3K

509.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$76.1 KES 9,831

485.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$193 KES 24.9K

958.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$171 KES 22.1K

772.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$130 KES 16.8K

285.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Garissa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $103 in Garissa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 285% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Garissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $155 – making Garissa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Garissa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $467 in Garissa – roughly 168% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $700 in Garissa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Garissa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $23.00 in Garissa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $467 in Garissa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Garissa, where all-in costs run around $467, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Garissa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $467 in Garissa to $1,250 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Garissa. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.