๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,085 in Kaposvรกr.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,612 in Kaposvรกr.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,140 in Kaposvรกr.
๐Living in Phuket is roughly 16% more expensive than Kaposvรกr, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
๐Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Kaposvรกr19% lower.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Kaposvรกr
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56เธฟ149
$9.87Ftย 2,987
-53.80%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63เธฟ1,519
$33.86Ftย 10.2K
37.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47เธฟ276
$8.26Ftย 2,499
2.54%
Cappuccino
$3.03เธฟ98.6
$1.59Ftย 481
90.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69เธฟ22.45
$0.94Ftย 284
-26.60%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37เธฟ11.92
$0.59Ftย 180
-37.29%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49เธฟ81.0
$1.24Ftย 374
100.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66เธฟ119
$1.40Ftย 425
161.43%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kaposvรกr
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18เธฟ71.0
$1.08Ftย 328
101.85%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90เธฟ62.0
$1.15Ftย 349
65.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20เธฟ71.6
$1.66Ftย 501
32.53%
Eggs
$2.22เธฟ72.4
$2.94Ftย 889
-24.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99เธฟ651
$7.13Ftย 2,159
180.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66เธฟ119
$5.86Ftย 1,774
-37.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25เธฟ432
$10.98Ftย 3,322
20.67%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23เธฟ105
$1.28Ftย 388
152.34%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70เธฟ55.3
$1.93Ftย 585
-11.92%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39เธฟ78.0
$2.01Ftย 607
18.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08เธฟ67.7
$1.26Ftย 382
65.08%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59เธฟ51.8
$0.89Ftย 269
78.65%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48เธฟ48.31
$0.57Ftย 171
159.65%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03เธฟ33.54
$0.45Ftย 136
128.89%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52เธฟ16.83
$0.50Ftย 150
4.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25เธฟ138
$6.24Ftย 1,889
-31.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79เธฟ612
$5.89Ftย 1,783
219.02%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76เธฟ57.2
$1.06Ftย 321
66.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76เธฟ89.8
$1.20Ftย 362
130.00%
๐ Getting Around
Phuket
Kaposvรกr
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36เธฟ44.32
$0.93Ftย 282
46.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36เธฟ370
$25.11Ftย 7,599
-54.76%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14เธฟ102
$1.40Ftย 423
124.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04เธฟ33.74
$1.17Ftย 355
-11.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77เธฟ448
$16.99Ftย 5,141
-18.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34เธฟ43.79
$1.75Ftย 529
-23.43%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7Kเธฟ901.4K
$31.3KFtย 9.5M
-11.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9Kเธฟ1.1M
$36.2KFtย 11.0M
-6.45%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kaposvรกr
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124เธฟ4,025
$149Ftย 44.9K
-16.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52เธฟ440
$22.79Ftย 6,895
-40.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69เธฟ609
$24.18Ftย 7,314
-22.70%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kaposvรกr
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8เธฟ2,013
$46.11Ftย 14.0K
34.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25เธฟ562
$16.48Ftย 4,985
4.67%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14เธฟ298
$7.77Ftย 2,352
17.63%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kaposvรกr
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703เธฟ22.9K
$176Ftย 53.1K
300.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9Kเธฟ517.0K
$6,762Ftย 2.0M
134.74%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kaposvรกr
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5เธฟ1,937
$89.5Ftย 27.1K
-33.59%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07เธฟ1,142
$25.80Ftย 7,804
35.93%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115เธฟ3,754
$96.4Ftย 29.2K
19.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1เธฟ2,737
$104Ftย 31.6K
-19.56%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kaposvรกr
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619เธฟ20.1K
$451Ftย 136.4K
37.20%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433เธฟ14.1K
$342Ftย 103.4K
26.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062เธฟ67.2K
$636Ftย 192.5K
224.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511เธฟ49.2K
$530Ftย 160.4K
185.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646เธฟ118.7K
$3,298Ftย 997.9K
10.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626เธฟ85.5K
$2,411Ftย 729.4K
8.91%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kaposvรกr
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507เธฟ16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
8
-33.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Kaposvรกr: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $451 in Kaposvรกr. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Kaposvรกr for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $188 per month, with Kaposvรกr 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 Kaposvรกr: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Kaposvรกr?
Kaposvรกr wins on cost โ living expenses run 16% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kaposvรกr the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket vs Kaposvรกr?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,627 in Kaposvรกr 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Kaposvรกr?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $451 in Kaposvรกr. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Kaposvรกr?
All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,085 in Kaposvรกr โ a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How expensive is transport in Phuket vs Kaposvรกr?
A monthly transit pass in Kaposvรกr runs roughly 121% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or Kaposvรกr?
At $1,085 in Kaposvรกr versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kaposvรกr but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kaposvรกr the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Kaposvรกr?
Both work as nomad bases, but Kaposvรกr delivers better value โ similar infrastructure at $1,085 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kaposvรกr hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Kaposvรกr?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Kaposvรกr are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Kaposvรกr gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 16% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.