Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kano Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kano

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $553 in Kano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $865 in Kano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,176 in Kano.

Living in Phuket is roughly 129% more expensive than in Kano, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Kano 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$3.56 ₦4,846

25.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$10.40 ₦14.2K

338.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$5.19 ₦7,080

68.79%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$4.73 ₦6,448

-37.21%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.43 ₦587

60.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.38 ₦525

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$0.86 ₦1,170

194.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$0.83 ₦1,130

351.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$3.50 ₦4,773

-38.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$1.96 ₦2,678

-7.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$2.18 ₦2,972

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$2.17 ₦2,957

3.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$6.97 ₦9,507

-53.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$1.69 ₦2,298

-2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$1.16 ₦1,580

100.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$1.15 ₦1,568

80.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.39 ₦3,259

-35.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$3.58 ₦4,874

-59.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$0.34 ₦459

188.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.50 ₦684

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$0.90 ₦1,221

194.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

$0.83 ₦1,129

71.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

$37.04 ₦50.5K

-68.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$0.45 ₦607

197.78%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿4,116

$12.09 ₦16.5K

917.78%

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

$13.77 ฿461

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$19.63 ₦26.8K

-6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

$34.47 ₦47.0K

76.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$4.77 ₦6,499

85.95%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$35.31 ₦48.1K

1848.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$469 ₦639.5K

32.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$180 ₦244.8K

148.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$1,175 ₦1.6M

73.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$353 ₦481.7K

323.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kano: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $469 in Kano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $10.00 in Kano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $151 per month, with Kano cheaper across the board.

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 Kano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Kano differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $553 including rent). Kano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $830 in Kano 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $469 in Kano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $553 in Kano – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kano runs roughly 220% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $553 in Kano versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kano but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kano 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 Kano 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 Kano gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.