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 $527 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $876 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $1,226 in Isiolo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 139% more expensive than in Isiolo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Isiolo 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$5.55 KES 718

-20.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$34.56 KES 4,472

1.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$6.30 KES 816

42.22%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.80 KES 363

7.14%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.63 KES 81.8

22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.53 KES 67.9

-11.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$2.29 KES 296

4.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$2.68 KES 347

39.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$0.85 KES 110

114.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.56 KES 73.0

153.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.84 KES 239

-15.76%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.65 KES 213

29.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$10.66 KES 1,380

85.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$6.62 KES 857

-47.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$6.33 KES 819

75.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$3.16 KES 409

-7.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$0.99 KES 128

67.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.97 KES 255

15.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.02 KES 131

105.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$1.00 KES 130

47.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$0.95 KES 123

48.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.66 KES 84.9

65.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.72 KES 93.3

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$3.43 KES 444

30.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$11.57 KES 1,498

61.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$2.29 KES 297

-19.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.81 KES 364

4.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$1.53 KES 198

98.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$1.58 KES 204

-31.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$2.88 KES 373

32.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.39 KES 180

7.19%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$18.7K KES 2.4M

46.94%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$19.3K KES 2.5M

42.26%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$55.7 KES 7,213

82.65%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$15.51 KES 2,007

-27.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$34.29 KES 4,437

-48.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$7.87 KES 1,018

-0.25%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$240 KES 31.1K

139.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$11.0K KES 1.4M

5.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$26.64 KES 3,447

145.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$25.38 KES 3,285

13.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$63.1 KES 8,167

56.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$59.8 KES 7,736

50.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$760 KES 98.3K

-33.88%

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 18, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Isiolo. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $203, with Isiolo cheaper for home cooking.

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 139% 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, salaries run 51% lower in Isiolo. 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 34% 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 $527 in Isiolo – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $527 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 $527 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 139% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.