Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kampong Thom Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kampong Thom

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $607 in Kampong Thom, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $960 in Kampong Thom, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $1,312 in Kampong Thom, rent included.

Phuket costs about 109% more than Kampong Thom, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Kampong Thom are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Kampong Thom 55% lower.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66 āļŋ151
$4.87 ៛19.4K
-4.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44 āļŋ1,505
$29.52 ៛117.8K
57.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.68 āļŋ281
$6.86 ៛27.4K
26.53%
Cappuccino
$2.95 āļŋ95.5
$2.54 ៛10.1K
16.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 āļŋ22.65
$1.00 ៛3,978
-30.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 āļŋ12.77
$0.99 ៛3,969
-60.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 āļŋ82.1
$1.48 ៛5,898
70.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78 āļŋ122
$2.46 ៛9,814
53.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.22 āļŋ71.8
$2.14 ៛8,529
3.74%
White Bread (500g)
$1.80 āļŋ58.2
$1.47 ៛5,866
22.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.19 āļŋ70.8
$0.97 ៛3,883
125.77%
Eggs
$2.31 āļŋ74.9
$1.75 ៛6,989
32.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.34 āļŋ627
$12.78 ៛51.0K
51.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 āļŋ122
$4.00 ៛16.0K
-5.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.22 āļŋ428
$10.27 ៛41.0K
28.72%
Apples (1kg)
$3.33 āļŋ108
$4.40 ៛17.5K
-24.32%
Banana (1kg)
$1.65 āļŋ53.4
$1.53 ៛6,123
7.84%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.29 āļŋ74.2
$3.78 ៛15.1K
-39.42%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 āļŋ64.4
$1.47 ៛5,874
35.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 āļŋ49.51
$1.69 ៛6,734
-9.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.51 āļŋ49.04
$1.20 ៛4,808
25.83%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 āļŋ33.30
$1.45 ៛5,779
-28.97%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 āļŋ16.66
$0.68 ៛2,694
-25.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 āļŋ143
$2.02 ៛8,078
118.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.41 āļŋ629
$11.86 ៛47.3K
63.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80 āļŋ58.3
$1.04 ៛4,155
73.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68 āļŋ86.8
$1.68 ៛6,690
59.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.43 āļŋ46.37
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.70 āļŋ379
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.04 āļŋ98.4
$1.06 ៛4,244
186.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 āļŋ33.56
$0.99 ៛3,948
5.05%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.68 āļŋ443
$4.44 ៛17.7K
208.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 āļŋ42.08
$1.17 ៛4,682
11.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9K āļŋ903.9K
$49.2K ៛196.5M
-43.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0K āļŋ1.1M
$36.5K ៛145.7M
-9.53%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 āļŋ3,984
$106 ៛423.6K
15.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82 āļŋ448
$6.43 ៛25.7K
114.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86 āļŋ611
$23.32 ៛93.1K
-19.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.2 āļŋ1,981
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81 āļŋ545
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.87 āļŋ287
$4.60 ៛18.4K
92.83%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$696 āļŋ22.6K
$379 ៛1.5M
83.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$16.1K āļŋ520.3K
$11.3K ៛44.9M
42.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3 āļŋ1,921
$22.51 ៛89.8K
163.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85 āļŋ1,129
$22.46 ៛89.6K
55.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 āļŋ3,667
$89.0 ៛355.0K
27.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1 āļŋ2,756
$72.9 ៛291.0K
16.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$615 āļŋ19.9K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$448 āļŋ14.5K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,085 āļŋ67.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 āļŋ48.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,734 āļŋ121.0K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,662 āļŋ86.2K
-
-
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kampong Thom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$534 āļŋ17.3K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
10.3
-48.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kampong Thom: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $0 in Kampong Thom. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Phuket versus $30 in Kampong Thom. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $243 – making Kampong Thom the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 109%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Phuket and $910 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 vs Kampong Thom?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,270 in Phuket and $607 in Kampong Thom. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $696 per month in Phuket and $379 in Kampong Thom. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Kampong Thom?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kampong Thom, where all-in costs run around $607, than in Phuket at $1,270. In Kampong Thom it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Phuket or Kampong Thom more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Kampong Thom – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Kampong Thom?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Kampong Thom. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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