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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $781 in Karaj.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,098 in Karaj.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,415 in Karaj.

Living in Phuket is roughly 58% more expensive than in Karaj, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Karaj 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$3.58 $3.58

23.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$16.41 $16.41

96.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$3.88 $3.88

130.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 $1.07

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.10 $1.10

163.64%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.43 $0.43

104.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$1.71 $1.71

-71.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$0.66 $0.66

183.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$0.48 $0.48

206.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.01 $2.01

-22.89%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.06 $1.06

98.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$4.29 $4.29

356.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.39 $3.39

0.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.13 $10.13

12.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$0.89 $0.89

234.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.69 $1.69

-0.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$0.78 $0.78

183.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$0.47 $0.47

359.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$0.46 $0.46

230.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$0.47 $0.47

185.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.55 $0.55

105.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$0.20 $0.20

175.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.58 $0.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 $0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 $1.34

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.55 $2.55

67.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.18 $0.18

1138.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$13.11 $13.11

73.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.29 $0.29

944.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$0.31 $0.31

229.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$2.61 $2.61

49.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$0.09 $0.09

1555.56%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$50.6K $50.6K

-47.49%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$43.9K $43.9K

-38.43%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$13.53 $13.53

657.35%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$1.61 $1.61

603.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$3.68 $3.68

372.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$22.79 $22.79

128.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$9.96 $9.96

11.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$1.08 $1.08

612.04%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$109 $109

413.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$819 $819

1304.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$24.80 $24.80

154.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$28.66 $28.66

3.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$99.0 $99.0

-1.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$75.5 $75.5

17.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$370 $370

99.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$448 $448

7.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$876 $876

140.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$629 $629

94.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$1,261 $1,261

186.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$543 $543

379.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$248 $248

99.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

22.67

-75.43%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Karaj: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $370 in Karaj. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 99% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $16.00 in Karaj for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $111 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 58% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $781 including rent). Karaj is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 99% higher in Phuket, 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: $738 in Phuket versus $370 in Karaj. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 147% 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 $16.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $781 in Karaj versus $1,232 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 58% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.