Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kafue

For one person, living is cheaper in Kafue: $564 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
27

Cost of Living Index in Kafue
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Kafue Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Kafue

🇿🇲 Zambia

$564

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kafue

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Kafue actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $564 in Kafue, rent included.

Phuket $1,294
Kafue $564

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $902 in Kafue, rent included.

Phuket $2,204
Kafue $902

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $1,239 in Kafue, rent included.

Phuket $3,115
Kafue $1,239

Phuket costs about 129% more than Kafue, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Phuket and Kafue are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 4% lower, Kafue 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿148

$5.37 ZMW 109

-18.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,089

$29.41 ZMW 595

9.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿293

$5.04 ZMW 102

72.62%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.8

$2.86 ZMW 57.8

-4.90%

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

$0.93 ฿31.35

$0.72 ZMW 14.46

29.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.83

$0.48 ZMW 9.68

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿85.3

$1.22 ZMW 24.74

107.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿122

$2.27 ZMW 45.83

59.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.6

$1.68 ZMW 33.91

3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.89

$1.16 ZMW 23.53

25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.01 ZMW 40.56

-25.37%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿73.2

$1.94 ZMW 39.24

11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿643

$10.19 ZMW 206

87.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿115

$6.17 ZMW 125

-44.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿367

$6.62 ZMW 134

64.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿99.1

$3.38 ZMW 68.4

-13.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$2.36 ZMW 47.77

-28.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.9

$3.24 ZMW 65.5

-32.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.6

$1.54 ZMW 31.11

37.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.15

$2.60 ZMW 52.6

-43.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿46.10

$1.77 ZMW 35.77

-22.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿36.26

$1.11 ZMW 22.38

-2.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.38

$0.71 ZMW 14.45

-22.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$3.01 ZMW 60.9

47.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿615

$9.92 ZMW 201

83.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.7

$1.37 ZMW 27.78

29.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿97.1

$2.27 ZMW 45.92

26.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.78

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,850

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$2.43 ZMW 49.07

-37.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿26.14

$1.44 ZMW 29.03

-45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿129

$5.01 ZMW 101

-23.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿50.1

$1.46 ZMW 29.57

2.05%

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

$26.9K ฿905.9K

$7,396 ZMW 149.5K

263.47%

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

$26.3K ฿887.8K

$24.7K ZMW 499.7K

6.60%

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

$97.8 ฿3,296

$69.0 ZMW 1,394

41.82%

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

$11.29 ฿381

$10.75 ZMW 217

5.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿579

$53.6 ZMW 1,083

-67.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,303

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿250

$5.82 ZMW 118

27.66%

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

$530 ฿17.9K

$145 ZMW 2,940

264.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿632.9K

$20.5K ZMW 414.2K

-8.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,078

$24.90 ZMW 504

147.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿952

$17.39 ZMW 352

62.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,235

$44.90 ZMW 908

113.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,926

$65.1 ZMW 1,317

33.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.3K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿47.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿141.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿111.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-80.79%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Kafue: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Kafue

- * 0% 100%

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Kafue

$233 41.3% 12.8% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Kafue

$133 23.6% 5.5% $7

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Kafue

$69 12.2% 44.1% $54

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Kafue

$108 19.1% 9.8% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Kafue

$12 * 2.1% 86% $72

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Kafue

$9.6 * 1.7% 85.5% $56

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $29 in Kafue. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $233 – making Kafue the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇿🇲 Kafue

🕒 Local time

22:07 10:07 PM

17:07 5:07 PM

5 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

104,174

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Zambian Kwacha ZMW ZK

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 ZMW = 4.95 USD

100 ZMW = 4.42 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.73 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 20.22 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.95 USD). 1 EUR = 22.64 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.42 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Kafue 8,160 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Kafue

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kafue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,294 in Phuket, $564 in Kafue – Kafue comes out roughly 56% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $846 in Kafue. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,294 in Phuket and $564 in Kafue. That makes Kafue about 56% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $530 per month in Phuket and $145 in Kafue. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Kafue, where all-in costs run around $564, than in Phuket at $1,294. In Kafue 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 $564 in Kafue to $1,294 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.