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: $1,270 in Phuket versus $542 in Kano.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $866 in Kano.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $1,190 in Kano.

Living in Phuket is roughly 134% more expensive than Kano, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Kano 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$3.41 ₦4,599

36.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$10.19 ₦13.8K

355.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$5.29 ₦7,136

64.08%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$4.57 ₦6,170

-35.45%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$0.44 ₦593

59.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$0.39 ₦524

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$0.85 ₦1,148

197.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$0.88 ₦1,191

329.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$3.49 ₦4,711

-36.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$1.93 ₦2,609

-6.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$2.25 ₦3,036

-2.67%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$2.07 ₦2,795

11.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$7.26 ₦9,796

-54.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.61 ₦2,172

2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$1.17 ₦1,577

95.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$1.17 ₦1,577

70.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$2.41 ₦3,257

-36.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$3.51 ₦4,742

-56.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$0.36 ₦488

186.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$0.47 ₦628

8.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$0.83 ₦1,121

222.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$0.77 ₦1,042

85.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

$36.75 ₦49.6K

-68.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$0.41 ₦556

217.07%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿3,962

$12.16 ₦16.4K

911.27%

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

$13.82 ฿445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$19.32 ₦26.1K

-2.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$33.42 ₦45.1K

82.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$4.64 ₦6,263

91.16%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$35.49 ₦47.9K

1862.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$476 ₦642.1K

29.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$177 ₦238.6K

153.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$1,178 ₦1.6M

76.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$357 ₦481.5K

319.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kano: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $476 in Kano. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $10 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 134% in total monthly costs ($1,270 vs $542 including rent). Kano is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,904 in Phuket and $813 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: $615 in Phuket versus $476 in Kano. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Phuket versus $542 in Kano – a 134% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kano runs roughly 214% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $542 in Kano versus $1,270 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 134% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.