Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karlovy Vary Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karlovy Vary

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,530 in Karlovy Vary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $2,488 in Karlovy Vary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $3,447 in Karlovy Vary.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 18% less than in Karlovy Vary, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 9% below, Karlovy Vary is 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$9.59 Kč 199

-52.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$45.86 Kč 953

-28.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$9.27 Kč 193

-3.99%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$3.11 Kč 64.6

-9.97%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$1.81 Kč 37.65

-51.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$1.42 Kč 29.51

-65.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.21 Kč 45.89

8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$2.01 Kč 41.83

84.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$1.17 Kč 24.25

52.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$1.51 Kč 31.47

-4.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$2.41 Kč 50.1

-34.44%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.94 Kč 61.0

-27.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$12.76 Kč 265

56.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$7.38 Kč 153

-53.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$17.36 Kč 361

-34.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$1.98 Kč 41.05

48.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.80 Kč 37.41

-4.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$2.15 Kč 44.71

7.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$3.58 Kč 74.4

-41.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$1.08 Kč 22.37

36.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$1.10 Kč 22.94

23.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$1.24 Kč 25.71

-11.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.81 Kč 16.79

-29.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$7.75 Kč 161

-44.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$7.30 Kč 152

152.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$0.99 Kč 20.63

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$1.73 Kč 36.01

68.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$2.44 Kč 50.8

-9.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$25.93 Kč 539

-11.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$2.95 Kč 61.3

2.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$1.53 Kč 31.73

-30.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$17.53 Kč 364

-77.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.87 Kč 38.94

-20.32%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$28.6K Kč 593.7K

-5.03%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$24.9K Kč 516.9K

10.38%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$260 Kč 5,398

-60.41%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$23.92 Kč 497

-54.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$19.57 Kč 407

-10.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$59.0 Kč 1,226

-9.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

$22.39 Kč 465

-49.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$7.37 Kč 153

1.49%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$195 Kč 4,052

185.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$2,888 Kč 60.0K

310.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$88.8 Kč 1,846

-27.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$39.05 Kč 812

-25.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$108 Kč 2,244

-11.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$129 Kč 2,672

-29.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$729 Kč 15.2K

0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$496 Kč 10.3K

0.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$1,695 Kč 35.2K

23.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$1,390 Kč 28.9K

-13.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$7,091 Kč 147.4K

-49.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$5,212 Kč 108.3K

-51.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$1,443 Kč 30.0K

-65.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.64

20.04%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Karlovy Vary: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $729 in Karlovy Vary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karlovy Vary pays 187% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $46.00 in Karlovy Vary. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $266, with Karlovy Vary cheaper for home cooking.

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 Karlovy Vary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 187% lower in Karlovy Vary. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $729 in Karlovy Vary. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $46.00 in Karlovy Vary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,253 per month in Phuket versus $1,530 in Karlovy Vary – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,530 in Karlovy Vary, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Karlovy Vary. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Karlovy Vary, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Karlovy Vary 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Karlovy Vary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.