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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $546 in Kano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $872 in Kano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,198 in Kano.

Living in Phuket is roughly 131% more expensive than Kano, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kano 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.51 ₦4,772

29.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$10.25 ₦13.9K

354.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$5.42 ₦7,373

56.27%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$4.77 ₦6,486

-36.48%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.40 ₦549

72.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.35 ₦480

5.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$0.85 ₦1,149

192.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$0.83 ₦1,124

340.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$3.55 ₦4,824

-38.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.85 ₦2,520

2.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.29 ₦3,116

-3.93%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.12 ₦2,879

4.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$6.96 ₦9,466

-53.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.62 ₦2,208

4.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.16 ₦1,572

106.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.15 ₦1,559

80.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$2.41 ₦3,283

-34.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$3.48 ₦4,732

-57.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.34 ₦458

202.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.50 ₦683

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$0.88 ₦1,203

213.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.82 ₦1,115

65.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$35.79 ₦48.7K

-68.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.42 ₦567

219.05%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

$12.08 ₦16.4K

923.10%

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

$13.52 ฿440

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$19.66 ₦26.7K

-4.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$34.56 ₦47.0K

78.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$4.83 ₦6,567

89.23%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$35.91 ₦48.8K

1856.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$478 ₦649.7K

29.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$175 ₦237.9K

147.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$1,178 ₦1.6M

74.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$347 ₦471.9K

335.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kano: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $478 in Kano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $10.00 in Kano for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $150 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 131% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $546 including rent). Kano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $819 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: $619 in Phuket versus $478 in Kano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $546 in Kano – a 131% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kano runs roughly 215% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $546 in Kano versus $1,261 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 131% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.