Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kampong Thom

For one person, living is cheaper in Kampong Thom: $627 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Kampong Thom, Cambodia
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Kampong Thom
🇰🇭 Cambodia
$627
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kampong Thom

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 Kampong Thom actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $627 in Kampong Thom, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Kampong Thom $627

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,019 in Kampong Thom, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Kampong Thom $1,019

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $1,410 in Kampong Thom, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Kampong Thom $1,410

Phuket costs about 104% more than Kampong Thom, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Phuket and Kampong Thom are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kampong Thom 54% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$4.44 ៛18.1K
0.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$40.53 ៛165.4K
-20.03%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$6.84 ៛27.9K
28.80%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$2.82 ៛11.5K
0.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$1.71 ៛6,976
-49.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$0.61 ៛2,489
-19.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$0.99 ៛4,021
158.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$3.05 ៛12.4K
20.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$2.18 ៛8,913
-23.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$1.66 ៛6,768
-12.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$1.08 ៛4,400
38.89%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$1.80 ៛7,331
16.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$14.53 ៛59.3K
31.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$4.53 ៛18.5K
-27.15%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$9.46 ៛38.6K
15.33%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$4.20 ៛17.1K
-30.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$1.70 ៛6,919
-0.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$4.65 ៛19.0K
-51.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$1.99 ៛8,112
4.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$1.79 ៛7,308
-15.64%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$1.22 ៛4,994
13.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$1.32 ៛5,392
-18.94%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$0.77 ៛3,125
-32.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$1.86 ៛7,582
125.81%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$11.17 ៛45.6K
68.22%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.00 ៛4,092
82.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$1.72 ៛7,013
65.12%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$1.09 ៛4,461
177.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$0.97 ៛3,970
5.15%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
$4.91 ៛20.0K
-24.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$1.37 ៛5,606
7.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$35.7K ៛145.6M
-24.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$43.8K ៛178.9M
-39.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$119 ៛487.6K
-19.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$7.48 ៛30.5K
50.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$25.05 ៛102.2K
-32.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$4.97 ៛20.3K
50.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$597 ៛2.4M
-20.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$10.9K ៛44.5M
3.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$27.52 ៛112.3K
126.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$23.75 ៛96.9K
19.62%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$91.7 ៛374.4K
2.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$60.0 ៛244.9K
42.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
7.94
-29.85%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kampong Thom: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Kampong Thom
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Kampong Thom
$257 3.3% $8.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Kampong Thom
$152 22.1% $28
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Kampong Thom
$91 25% $31
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Kampong Thom
$110 9.4% $12
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Kampong Thom
$10 * 87.9% $72
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Kampong Thom
$6 * 91.6% $65

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 $41 in Kampong Thom. Groceries tell a different story – $266 in Phuket vs $257 in Kampong Thom – so Kampong Thom wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇰🇭 Kampong Thom
🕒 Local time
04:50 4:50 AM
04:50 4:50 AM
Same time as Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
19,951
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

KHR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Cambodian Riel exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4,081 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.45 USD). 1 EUR = 4,543 KHR (10,000 KHR = 2.2 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Kampong Thom 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Kampong Thom

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 Kampong Thom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kampong Thom cheaper than Phuket?
Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 104%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $940 in Kampong Thom. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Kampong Thom?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $627 in Kampong Thom. That makes Kampong Thom about 51% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $597 in Kampong Thom. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Kampong Thom?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kampong Thom, where all-in costs run around $627, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Kampong Thom it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Kampong Thom?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $627 in Kampong Thom to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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