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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,359 in Karlovy Vary.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,236 in Karlovy Vary.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,112 in Karlovy Vary.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 7% less than in Karlovy Vary, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Karlovy Vary is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$8.51 Kč 177

-44.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$43.73 Kč 912

3.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$8.91 Kč 186

-5.39%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.90 Kč 60.5

1.03%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.96 Kč 40.87

-64.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.23 Kč 25.69

-69.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.05 Kč 42.70

17.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.02 Kč 42.06

84.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.15 Kč 23.92

93.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.50 Kč 31.32

22.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$2.10 Kč 43.81

3.33%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$2.78 Kč 58.0

-20.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$12.50 Kč 261

57.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.02 Kč 146

-48.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$12.68 Kč 264

6.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.73 Kč 36.06

89.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.72 Kč 35.95

-6.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.14 Kč 44.56

12.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.41 Kč 71.1

-39.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.32 Kč 27.58

15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.15 Kč 24.00

28.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.18 Kč 24.66

-16.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.73 Kč 15.14

-30.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$6.98 Kč 146

-36.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$7.16 Kč 149

170.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$0.92 Kč 19.22

93.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$1.82 Kč 37.94

48.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$2.31 Kč 48.26

-40.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$25.86 Kč 539

-55.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$2.88 Kč 59.9

4.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.32 Kč 27.52

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$15.29 Kč 319

-7.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.70 Kč 35.51

-20.00%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$28.4K Kč 591.2K

-0.56%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.8K Kč 496.3K

38.21%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$258 Kč 5,382

-52.86%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$25.42 Kč 530

-46.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$20.69 Kč 431

-11.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$57.7 Kč 1,202

4.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$21.88 Kč 456

-21.66%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.04 Kč 147

23.44%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$187 Kč 3,892

271.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$2,833 Kč 59.1K

453.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$85.0 Kč 1,772

-29.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$41.27 Kč 860

-15.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$98.7 Kč 2,057

16.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$113 Kč 2,347

-26.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$730 Kč 15.2K

-16.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$388 Kč 8,081

12.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,420 Kč 29.6K

47.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,145 Kč 23.9K

31.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$7,263 Kč 151.4K

-48.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$5,248 Kč 109.4K

-50.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,469 Kč 30.6K

-65.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.56

-4.14%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Karlovy Vary: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $730 in Karlovy Vary. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karlovy Vary pays 189% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Karlovy Vary for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $244 per month, with Karlovy Vary 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 Karlovy Vary: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Karlovy Vary earns 189% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $730 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 $45.00 versus $44.00 in Karlovy Vary. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,359 in Karlovy Vary – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,359 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 7% less than in Karlovy Vary. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.