Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Isiolo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Isiolo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $495 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $814 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,134 in Isiolo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 155% more expensive than Isiolo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$5.57 KES 722

-18.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$29.83 KES 3,867

56.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$3.88 KES 503

118.30%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.44 KES 316

24.18%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.26 KES 33.49

165.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.24 KES 31.28

54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.26 KES 293

10.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$2.86 KES 371

27.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.82 KES 107

165.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.41 KES 53.2

363.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.59 KES 206

38.36%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.43 KES 185

55.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.48 KES 1,489

74.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.80 KES 881

-46.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$5.54 KES 718

139.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.14 KES 407

2.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.07 KES 139

58.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.13 KES 277

12.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.02 KES 132

103.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.03 KES 133

54.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.17 KES 152

26.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.69 KES 89.9

49.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.75 KES 97.6

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.06 KES 397

38.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$11.39 KES 1,477

64.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$2.21 KES 287

-20.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.83 KES 366

-2.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.52 KES 197

106.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.58 KES 205

-34.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$2.86 KES 371

381.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.45 KES 188

-7.59%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$21.6K KES 2.8M

28.07%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

66.80%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$34.71 KES 4,500

256.06%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$16.86 KES 2,186

-19.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$38.74 KES 5,023

-51.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.03 KES 781

51.58%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$202 KES 26.2K

247.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$8,080 KES 1.0M

96.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$18.30 KES 2,372

224.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$23.77 KES 3,082

47.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$65.5 KES 8,491

76.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$57.5 KES 7,458

46.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$776 KES 100.6K

-34.68%

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 7, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 53% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $202 per month, with Isiolo 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 Isiolo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Isiolo wins on cost – living expenses run 155% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Isiolo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Isiolo earns 53% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $495 in Isiolo – a 155% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $495 in Isiolo versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Isiolo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Isiolo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Isiolo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $495 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Isiolo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Isiolo 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 Isiolo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 155% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.