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 $432 in Karakol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $650 in Karakol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $868 in Karakol.

Living in Phuket is roughly 192% more expensive than Karakol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Karakol 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$2.34 KGS 205

94.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$8.89 KGS 777

424.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.71 KGS 149

77.19%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.55 KGS 48.33

25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.28 KGS 24.45

32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.12 KGS 98.2

122.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.75 KGS 153

109.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.76 KGS 66.9

186.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.24 KGS 21.09

691.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.41 KGS 123

56.03%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.62 KGS 142

37.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$6.92 KGS 605

188.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.94 KGS 344

-7.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$5.78 KGS 505

129.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$0.77 KGS 67.2

319.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.38 KGS 121

23.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.15 KGS 101

80.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.58 KGS 50.9

174.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.33 KGS 28.51

212.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.59 KGS 51.8

-11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$1.79 KGS 156

137.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.28 KGS 462

255.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.13 KGS 98.6

55.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.31 KGS 202

19.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.22 KGS 19.43

518.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.28 KGS 112

145.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

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

$124 ฿4,025

$38.85 KGS 3,397

218.12%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$4.40 KGS 384

207.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$9.47 KGS 828

97.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$15.18 KGS 1,327

307.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$93.2 KGS 8,146

654.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$34.96 KGS 3,057

140.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$230 KGS 20.2K

168.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$169 KGS 14.7K

156.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$291 KGS 25.5K

608.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$285 KGS 24.9K

429.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Karakol: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $230 in Karakol. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $9.00 in Karakol for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $129 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 192% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $432 including rent). Karakol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $648 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: $619 in Phuket versus $230 in Karakol. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 127% 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 $432 in Karakol – a 192% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $432 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 192% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.