Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kailua, HI Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kailua, HI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $4,007 in Kailua, HI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $5,853 in Kailua, HI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $7,700 in Kailua, HI.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 68% less than in Kailua, HI, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Kailua, HI is 199% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$21.04 $21.04

-77.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$101 $101

-55.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$9.43 $9.43

-10.60%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$6.56 $6.56

-55.34%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$2.96 $2.96

-76.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.96 $1.96

-81.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$7.83 $7.83

-69.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$8.80 $8.80

-57.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$2.04 $2.04

9.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$6.65 $6.65

-72.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$7.56 $7.56

-71.30%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$6.86 $6.86

-67.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$13.06 $13.06

51.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$18.01 $18.01

-79.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$19.52 $19.52

-30.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$6.94 $6.94

-52.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$4.06 $4.06

-60.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$6.30 $6.30

-61.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$8.42 $8.42

-75.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$3.91 $3.91

-60.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$4.49 $4.49

-67.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$4.57 $4.57

-78.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$3.09 $3.09

-83.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$12.08 $12.08

-63.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$12.93 $12.93

49.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.40 $2.40

-25.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.05 $2.05

32.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$3.91 $3.91

-64.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$89.3 $89.3

-87.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$3.45 $3.45

-12.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$2.64 $2.64

-62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$45.34 $45.34

-68.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.28 $1.28

6.25%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$29.5K $29.5K

-4.32%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.7K $24.7K

33.42%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$233 $233

-47.76%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$50.5 $50.5

-73.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$67.0 $67.0

-72.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$70.6 $70.6

-14.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$40.80 $40.80

-57.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$16.08 $16.08

-45.96%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$1,529 $1,529

-54.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$20.2K $20.2K

-22.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$57.8 $57.8

3.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$60.0 $60.0

-42.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$104 $104

10.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$129 $129

-35.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$2,810 $2,810

-78.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$2,342 $2,342

-81.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$4,302 $4,302

-51.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$3,961 $3,961

-61.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$12.6K $12.6K

-70.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$9,885 $9,885

-73.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$4,734 $4,734

-89.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.56

-18.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kailua, HI: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $2,810 in Kailua, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kailua, HI pays 832% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $101 in Kailua, HI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $577 per month, with Phuket 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 Kailua, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 217% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kailua, HI earns 832% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $2,810 in Kailua, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 684% less than in Kailua, HI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $1,529 in Kailua, HI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $4,007 in Kailua, HI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kailua, HI. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kailua, HI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kailua, HI 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 217% less than in Kailua, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.