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: $1,232 in Phuket versus $431 in Karakol.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $638 in Karakol.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $846 in Karakol.

Living in Phuket is roughly 186% more expensive than Karakol, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$2.31 KGS 202

100.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$8.92 KGS 781

425.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$1.76 KGS 154

70.45%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.56 KGS 48.69

32.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.28 KGS 24.21

32.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$1.12 KGS 97.6

117.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$1.74 KGS 153

107.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.76 KGS 66.8

197.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$0.24 KGS 21.05

666.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.34 KGS 117

67.16%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$1.69 KGS 148

37.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.02 KGS 615

180.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.02 KGS 352

-9.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$5.70 KGS 499

129.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$0.81 KGS 71.0

318.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.39 KGS 122

17.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.11 KGS 97.4

82.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$0.54 KGS 47.42

188.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$0.35 KGS 30.71

191.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.58 KGS 51.1

-15.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$1.74 KGS 153

155.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$5.13 KGS 449

268.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.11 KGS 96.9

60.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$2.28 KGS 199

20.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$0.20 KGS 17.75

600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.31 KGS 115

138.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

$38.43 KGS 3,363

225.21%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$4.41 KGS 386

207.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$9.54 KGS 835

94.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$15.26 KGS 1,335

302.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$91.1 KGS 7,970

666.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$34.87 KGS 3,052

147.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$229 KGS 20.0K

169.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$175 KGS 15.3K

155.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$285 KGS 24.9K

618.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$286 KGS 25.0K

422.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Karakol: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $229 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 $292 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 186% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $431 including rent). Karakol is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $646 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: $616 in Phuket versus $229 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 $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $431 in Karakol – a 186% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $431 in Karakol versus $1,232 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 186% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.