Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kandana Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kandana

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,223 per month in Phuket vs $533 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,237 per month in Phuket vs $853 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Phuket vs $1,173 in Kandana, rent included.

Phuket costs about 129% more than Kandana, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Kandana are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Kandana 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿148

$4.07 LKR 1,357

10.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,528

$25.03 LKR 8,347

86.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿278

$8.32 LKR 2,775

2.04%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿101

$2.77 LKR 923

11.19%

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

$0.68 ฿22.26

$0.68 LKR 226

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.84

$0.40 LKR 135

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿79.5

$2.35 LKR 785

3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.43 LKR 1,145

5.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.7

$1.76 LKR 587

24.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.5

$0.52 LKR 172

248.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿73.1

$0.85 LKR 284

162.35%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.3

$2.19 LKR 729

2.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿642

$13.81 LKR 4,608

41.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.75 LKR 1,584

-21.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿441

$7.93 LKR 2,646

69.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿110

$7.26 LKR 2,422

-53.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.0

$1.10 LKR 367

47.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$5.63 LKR 1,878

-57.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿65.2

$1.21 LKR 403

64.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.11 LKR 369

37.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.59

$1.41 LKR 471

2.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿33.23

$1.20 LKR 402

-15.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.86

$0.59 LKR 197

-18.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$10.03 LKR 3,347

-57.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿627

$12.77 LKR 4,261

49.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.2

$2.00 LKR 668

-8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.8

$2.84 LKR 946

-3.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.44

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿384

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿98.4

$0.41 LKR 137

631.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.28

$0.32 LKR 108

228.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿456

$0.61 LKR 205

2178.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿42.28

$1.26 LKR 419

2.38%

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

$28.0K ฿918.7K

$26.4K LKR 8.8M

6.25%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$34.5K LKR 11.5M

-2.85%

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

$122 ฿3,997

$60.0 LKR 20.0K

103.40%

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

$13.93 ฿457

$4.22 LKR 1,406

230.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿618

$15.33 LKR 5,115

23.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿2,008

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿552

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿291

$3.25 LKR 1,085

173.54%

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

$691 ฿22.7K

$37.27 LKR 12.4K

1755.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿529.5K

$448 LKR 149.3K

3509.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,894

$27.99 LKR 9,336

106.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,160

$19.71 LKR 6,573

79.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,716

$70.7 LKR 23.6K

60.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,720

$39.26 LKR 13.1K

111.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.9K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿117.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

16.45

-67.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Kandana: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $25.00 in Kandana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $255 – making Kandana 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 Kandana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 129%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,835 per month in Phuket and $800 in Kandana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,223 in Phuket and $533 in Kandana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $691 per month in Phuket and $37.27 in Kandana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kandana, where all-in costs run around $533, than in Phuket at $1,223. In Kandana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kandana – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Kandana. 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.