Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karakol Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karakol

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $433 in Karakol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $640 in Karakol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $847 in Karakol.

Living in Phuket is roughly 191% more expensive than in Karakol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Karakol 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$2.34 KGS 205

89.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$9.35 KGS 817

275.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$1.74 KGS 152

72.41%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.58 KGS 50.9

32.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.28 KGS 24.26

67.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$1.13 KGS 98.4

112.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$1.74 KGS 152

115.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$0.71 KGS 61.8

156.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$0.24 KGS 21.03

491.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.38 KGS 121

12.32%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.67 KGS 146

27.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$6.66 KGS 582

196.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$3.93 KGS 344

-11.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$5.75 KGS 503

92.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$0.76 KGS 66.5

282.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.40 KGS 122

18.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.15 KGS 101

82.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.55 KGS 47.78

167.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.32 KGS 28.38

240.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.55 KGS 47.94

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$1.74 KGS 153

157.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$5.06 KGS 442

269.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.15 KGS 101

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.27 KGS 199

29.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.18 KGS 15.83

1155.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$1.32 KGS 116

130.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$0.96 KGS 84.1

55.21%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

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

$102 ฿3,340

$39.29 KGS 3,435

159.12%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$4.36 KGS 381

158.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$9.85 KGS 861

80.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$15.30 KGS 1,337

254.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$91.5 KGS 7,996

530.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$34.66 KGS 3,030

160.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$232 KGS 20.3K

225.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$170 KGS 14.9K

186.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$286 KGS 25.0K

628.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$287 KGS 25.1K

321.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Karakol: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $232 in Karakol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Karakol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $272 vs $126 per month, with Karakol 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 Karakol: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Karakol differ by about 191% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $433 including rent). Karakol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $649 in Karakol 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: $756 in Phuket versus $232 in Karakol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 115% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $433 in Karakol – a 191% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $433 in Karakol versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Karakol but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Karakol 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 Karakol 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 Karakol gentler on the wallet – expenses run 191% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.