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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $461 in Garissa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $775 in Garissa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,089 in Garissa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 175% more than Garissa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Garissa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Garissa 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$6.38 KES 827

-26.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$22.95 KES 2,974

97.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$2.67 KES 346

215.73%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$4.16 KES 539

-29.57%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.10 KES 143

-37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.68 KES 87.9

-45.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.90 KES 246

26.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.65 KES 343

40.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.84 KES 109

165.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.51 KES 66.3

258.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.15 KES 149

88.70%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.65 KES 214

33.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.32 KES 819

-42.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$4.25 KES 550

218.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.15 KES 408

4.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.28 KES 296

-29.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.08 KES 399

-21.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.64 KES 83.4

225.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.86 KES 112

77.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.14 KES 148

29.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.70 KES 90.2

41.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.44 KES 57.2

15.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.29 KES 297

92.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$5.66 KES 733

242.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.87 KES 243

-4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.20 KES 414

-15.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.31 KES 299

30.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.08 KES 140

25.93%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$9,343 KES 1.2M

252.16%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$15.74 KES 2,040

673.19%

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$23.24 KES 3,011

-21.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$22.82 KES 2,956

163.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$11.81 KES 1,531

404.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$7.53 KES 976

361.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$22.75 KES 2,948

403.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$23.61 KES 3,058

252.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$99.9 KES 12.9K

513.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$77.2 KES 10.0K

466.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$191 KES 24.8K

994.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$173 KES 22.5K

770.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$128 KES 16.6K

297.40%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Garissa: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $99.9 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 297% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Garissa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $154 – 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: $1,265 in Phuket, $461 in Garissa – roughly 175% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $691 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 $45.00 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $461 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 $461, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $461 in Garissa to $1,265 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.