Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kanglung

For one person, living is cheaper in Kanglung: $105 a month against $1,190 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

Kanglung

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$105

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kanglung

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,190 in Phuket versus $105 in Kanglung.

Phuket $1,190
Kanglung $105

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $174 in Kanglung.

Phuket $2,006
Kanglung $174

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $243 in Kanglung.

Phuket $2,822
Kanglung $243

Living in Phuket is roughly 1033% more expensive than in Kanglung, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Kanglung 92% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,087

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿282

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.0

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

$0.87 ฿29.29

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.2

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.42

$0.52 BTN 50.1

178.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.3

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.3

$1.22 BTN 118

72.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿654

$2.23 BTN 216

775.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$2.25 BTN 218

51.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿373

$2.15 BTN 209

418.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿94.8

$2.19 BTN 212

29.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$2.22 BTN 215

-27.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.5

$2.23 BTN 216

-0.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿71.9

$2.19 BTN 212

-1.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.95

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.40

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.72

$1.03 BTN 99.7

3.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.01

$1.02 BTN 98.6

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿629

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.3

$1.46 BTN 142

19.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.02 BTN 99.3

172.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿746

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.88

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

$26.3K ฿882.1K

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

$26.2K ฿877.3K

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

$96.7 ฿3,236

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

$11.41 ฿382

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿573

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,768

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿371

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿256

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

$555 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿377.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,123

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿958

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,238

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,967

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Kanglung: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$458 38.1%

Kanglung

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.3%

Kanglung

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Kanglung

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Kanglung

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$119 9.9%

Kanglung

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.7%

Kanglung

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Kanglung

–

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇧🇹 Kanglung

🕒 Local time

16:41 4:41 PM

15:41 3:41 PM

1 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1,000 BTN = 10.32 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.21 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BTN, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 96.88 BTN (100 BTN = 1.03 USD). 1 EUR = 109 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.21 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Kanglung 2,280 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Kanglung

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 Kanglung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Kanglung differ by about 1033% in total monthly costs ($1,190 vs $105 including rent). Kanglung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,785 in Phuket and $157 in Kanglung to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 157% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,190 per month in Phuket versus $105 in Kanglung – a 1033% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $105 in Kanglung versus $1,190 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kanglung but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kanglung the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kanglung 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 Kanglung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1033% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.