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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $515 in Kandana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $844 in Kandana, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $1,173 in Kandana, rent included.

Phuket costs about 139% more than Kandana, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Kandana are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Kandana 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.34 LKR 1,434

1.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$25.55 LKR 8,447

26.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$7.43 LKR 2,456

20.19%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.57 LKR 850

12.84%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$0.74 LKR 246

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.27 LKR 90.0

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.21 LKR 731

6.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.12 LKR 1,032

19.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.64 LKR 541

14.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$0.57 LKR 189

157.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.80 LKR 264

93.75%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$1.66 LKR 548

26.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$13.30 LKR 4,398

47.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.06 LKR 1,672

-32.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$7.19 LKR 2,376

58.28%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$6.92 LKR 2,289

-56.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$0.82 LKR 271

104.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$4.16 LKR 1,375

-46.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.28 LKR 424

68.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.04 LKR 345

46.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$0.80 LKR 264

67.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.94 LKR 310

20.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.45 LKR 150

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$10.46 LKR 3,457

-59.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$13.53 LKR 4,472

41.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.92 LKR 634

-7.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$2.87 LKR 949

-3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.42 LKR 138

621.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.38 LKR 127

168.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$0.90 LKR 296

332.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.30 LKR 429

14.62%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$31.0K LKR 10.3M

-14.27%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$42.1K LKR 13.9M

-35.77%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$56.3 LKR 18.6K

81.91%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$4.19 LKR 1,385

170.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$21.08 LKR 6,971

-17.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$4.29 LKR 1,418

79.25%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$37.67 LKR 12.5K

1388.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$1,218 LKR 402.6K

845.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$19.77 LKR 6,537

218.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$17.04 LKR 5,635

73.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$80.2 LKR 26.5K

22.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$41.75 LKR 13.8K

111.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

12.69

-56.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kandana: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Kandana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $238 – 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 139%, 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 $1,847 per month in Phuket and $773 in Kandana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $515 in Kandana. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $37.67 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 $515, than in Phuket at $1,232. 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.