Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karmรธy Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Karmรธy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,490 in Karmรธy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,838 in Karmรธy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $5,185 in Karmรธy.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 49% less than in Karmรธy, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Karmรธy is 86% above.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Karmรธy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70 เธฟ154
$24.81 NOKย 235
-81.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37 เธฟ1,489
$99.6 NOKย 941
-54.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.43 เธฟ277
$13.60 NOKย 129
-38.01%
Cappuccino
$2.93 เธฟ96.1
$4.83 NOKย 45.66
-39.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 เธฟ22.50
$3.19 NOKย 30.20
-78.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 เธฟ12.04
$2.94 NOKย 27.76
-87.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.41 เธฟ79.0
$9.93 NOKย 93.9
-75.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 เธฟ122
$9.38 NOKย 88.7
-60.34%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Karmรธy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.23 เธฟ73.3
$2.25 NOKย 21.30
-0.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.83 เธฟ60.1
$3.32 NOKย 31.41
-44.88%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.17 เธฟ71.1
$3.33 NOKย 31.49
-34.83%
Eggs
$2.21 เธฟ72.6
$4.42 NOKย 41.83
-50.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.74 เธฟ648
$12.17 NOKย 115
62.20%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 เธฟ119
$14.81 NOKย 140
-75.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 เธฟ444
$28.09 NOKย 266
-51.83%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 เธฟ108
$3.53 NOKย 33.35
-7.08%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 เธฟ52.9
$2.50 NOKย 23.61
-35.60%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 เธฟ79.0
$3.37 NOKย 31.89
-28.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 เธฟ68.4
$4.50 NOKย 42.53
-53.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 เธฟ50.2
$2.48 NOKย 23.44
-38.31%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 เธฟ48.58
$2.50 NOKย 23.59
-40.80%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 เธฟ32.44
$2.76 NOKย 26.14
-64.13%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 เธฟ16.74
$1.92 NOKย 18.16
-73.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41 เธฟ145
$13.83 NOKย 131
-68.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.38 เธฟ636
$18.34 NOKย 173
5.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 เธฟ58.4
$3.26 NOKย 30.83
-45.40%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71 เธฟ89.0
$4.08 NOKย 38.61
-33.58%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Phuket
Karmรธy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.37 เธฟ44.99
$4.31 NOKย 40.74
-68.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.39 เธฟ374
$72.7 NOKย 687
-84.33%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 เธฟ99.1
$10.02 NOKย 94.7
-69.86%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.99 เธฟ32.63
$1.45 NOKย 13.69
-31.72%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.10 เธฟ463
$46.91 NOKย 443
-69.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.36 เธฟ44.71
$2.08 NOKย 19.67
-34.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K เธฟ925.3K
$35.1K NOKย 331.8K
-19.66%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K เธฟ1.1M
$39.2K NOKย 371.0K
-16.16%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Karmรธy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$122 เธฟ3,993
$244 NOKย 2,306
-50.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 เธฟ445
$37.96 NOKย 359
-64.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31 เธฟ601
$55.4 NOKย 523
-66.93%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Karmรธy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.2 เธฟ1,976
$49.25 NOKย 466
22.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14 เธฟ562
$34.82 NOKย 329
-50.78%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69 เธฟ285
$16.76 NOKย 158
-48.15%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Karmรธy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$693 เธฟ22.8K
$282 NOKย 2,668
145.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.7K เธฟ514.7K
$10.3K NOKย 97.0K
52.89%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Karmรธy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 เธฟ1,953
$95.9 NOKย 906
-37.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77 เธฟ1,141
$51.7 NOKย 488
-32.71%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 เธฟ3,760
$107 NOKย 1,009
7.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3 เธฟ2,733
$154 NOKย 1,451
-45.75%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Karmรธy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$613 เธฟ20.1K
$1,219 NOKย 11.5K
-49.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$437 เธฟ14.3K
$877 NOKย 8,293
-50.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,094 เธฟ68.7K
$1,789 NOKย 16.9K
17.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,509 เธฟ49.5K
$1,532 NOKย 14.5K
-1.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,749 เธฟ123.0K
$6,260 NOKย 59.2K
-40.11%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,616 เธฟ85.8K
$4,632 NOKย 43.8K
-43.53%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Karmรธy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$508 เธฟ16.7K
$4,169 NOKย 39.4K
-87.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
4.38
21.69%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Karmรธy: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,219 in Karmรธy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Karmรธy pays 720% 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 $100 in Karmรธy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $458 per month, with Phuket 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 Karmรธy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Karmรธy?
Phuket and Karmรธy differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $2,490 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable โ€“ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Karmรธy earns 720% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Karmรธy?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,219 in Karmรธy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and Karmรธy?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 538% less than in Karmรธy. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Karmรธy?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $282 in Karmรธy. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,490 in Karmรธy, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Karmรธy. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Karmรธy?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ€“ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Karmรธy safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Karmรธy are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Karmรธy?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 97% less than in Karmรธy. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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