Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karaj Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karaj

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $541 in Karaj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $985 in Karaj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,428 in Karaj.

Living in Phuket is roughly 133% more expensive than Karaj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Karaj 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.09 $4.09

11.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$17.69 $17.69

163.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$4.90 $4.90

72.86%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.64 $0.64

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.31 $1.31

131.30%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.45 $0.45

53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$1.07 $1.07

-65.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.64 $0.64

240.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.57 $0.57

233.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.85 $1.85

18.92%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.01 $1.01

119.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$3.51 $3.51

469.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.33 $3.33

9.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.55 $10.55

25.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$0.84 $0.84

284.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.42 $1.42

19.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.81 $0.81

195.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.47 $0.47

342.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.45 $0.45

253.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.47 $0.47

214.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.63 $0.63

63.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.22 $0.22

136.36%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.61 $0.61

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 $0.49

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.47 $2.47

72.06%

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

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.18 $0.18

655.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$12.82 $12.82

-11.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.31 $0.31

912.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.29 $0.29

258.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$2.53 $2.53

444.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.71 $0.71

88.73%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$80.4K $80.4K

-65.56%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$54.0K $54.0K

-37.29%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$13.74 $13.74

799.49%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$2.10 $2.10

543.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$5.74 $5.74

225.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$22.57 $22.57

173.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$10.19 $10.19

69.28%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$1.54 $1.54

493.51%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$127 $127

453.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$814 $814

1850.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$24.87 $24.87

139.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$34.58 $34.58

1.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$98.2 $98.2

17.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$61.0 $61.0

37.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$364 $364

69.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$194 $194

122.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$872 $872

136.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$623 $623

142.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,264 $1,264

188.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$544 $544

382.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$243 $243

108.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

22.67

-76.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Karaj: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $364 in Karaj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 108% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Karaj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $108 per month, with Karaj 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 Karaj: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Karaj differ by about 133% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $541 including rent). Karaj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 108% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $364 in Karaj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 171% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Karaj – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $541 in Karaj versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karaj but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Karaj 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 Karaj 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 Karaj gentler on the wallet – expenses run 133% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.