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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $487 in Isiolo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $813 in Isiolo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,140 in Isiolo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 153% more expensive than Isiolo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Isiolo 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$5.54 KES 715

-16.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$30.53 KES 3,940

53.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$3.89 KES 503

127.25%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.39 KES 309

25.52%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.28 KES 36.23

164.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.22 KES 28.28

68.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.38 KES 307

2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.98 KES 384

21.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.88 KES 114

156.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.42 KES 53.8

338.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.59 KES 205

40.88%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.42 KES 183

63.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$11.77 KES 1,520

67.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.80 KES 877

-46.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$5.45 KES 703

140.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$3.19 KES 411

6.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.08 KES 139

51.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$2.10 KES 271

14.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.02 KES 131

99.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.08 KES 139

44.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.13 KES 145

32.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.69 KES 88.4

47.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.80 KES 104

-38.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$3.12 KES 403

42.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$11.54 KES 1,489

63.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.18 KES 282

-18.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.72 KES 351

1.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.54 KES 199

102.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.53 KES 197

-34.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$2.81 KES 363

401.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.40 KES 180

-3.57%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

23.40%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

63.32%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$34.61 KES 4,467

261.11%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$17.03 KES 2,199

-20.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$38.85 KES 5,014

-52.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$6.17 KES 797

48.95%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$201 KES 26.0K

246.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$8,040 KES 1.0M

93.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$18.30 KES 2,363

215.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$23.64 KES 3,051

49.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$65.1 KES 8,405

73.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$56.6 KES 7,300

52.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$782 KES 100.9K

-33.01%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Isiolo: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Isiolo pays 49% 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 $31.00 in Isiolo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $204 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 153% 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 49% 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 43% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $487 in Isiolo – a 153% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $487 in Isiolo versus $1,232 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 $487 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 153% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.