Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kastamonu Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kastamonu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,155 in Kastamonu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,796 in Kastamonu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,437 in Kastamonu.

Living in Phuket is roughly 9% more expensive than in Kastamonu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Kastamonu 13% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$9.44 ₺449

-52.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,523

$38.66 ₺1,838

17.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.85 ₺420

-1.02%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.1

$3.23 ₺154

-8.05%

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

$0.69 ฿22.93

$1.22 ₺58.1

-43.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.05

$0.38 ₺18.18

2.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$3.39 ₺161

-25.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.92 ₺186

-4.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.7

$0.96 ₺45.42

123.96%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.70 ₺33.20

160.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.0

$2.30 ₺109

-5.22%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.1

$2.28 ₺108

-1.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿668

$9.74 ₺463

105.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.86 ₺279

-38.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$19.15 ₺910

-29.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.52 ₺72.1

113.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.35 ₺112

-30.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.9

$1.26 ₺59.8

84.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.2

$1.47 ₺69.9

40.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.74 ₺35.26

109.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.60

$0.57 ₺27.29

156.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.89

$1.13 ₺53.7

-13.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.11

$0.39 ₺18.56

23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.22 ₺106

95.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$9.66 ₺459

92.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.0

$2.05 ₺97.3

-9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.7

$3.11 ₺148

-14.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.33

$0.63 ₺29.96

125.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

$30.44 ₺1,447

-61.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.90 ₺42.96

252.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.46

$0.65 ₺30.90

58.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿464

$6.50 ₺309

113.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.89

$1.17 ₺55.8

14.53%

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

$27.8K ฿928.2K

$42.4K ₺2.0M

-34.47%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$43.4K ₺2.1M

-23.06%

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

$123 ฿4,110

$85.9 ₺4,083

43.25%

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

$13.77 ฿460

$11.04 ₺525

24.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿612

$14.03 ₺667

30.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,027

$43.05 ₺2,046

40.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.26 ₺297

41.69%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$608 ₺28.9K

13.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.0K

$13.9K ₺659.1K

13.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,981

$57.7 ₺2,740

2.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,159

$44.18 ₺2,100

-21.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,847

$106 ₺5,026

8.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,798

$95.9 ₺4,559

-12.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$509 ₺24.2K

22.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$395 ₺18.8K

12.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.9K

$900 ₺42.8K

125.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$704 ₺33.5K

112.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.4K

$1,281 ₺60.9K

169.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.5K

$918 ₺43.6K

175.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$1,305 ₺62.0K

-62.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-86.67%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kastamonu: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $509 in Kastamonu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kastamonu pays 164% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Kastamonu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $233 per month, with Kastamonu 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 Kastamonu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Kastamonu differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $1,155 including rent). Kastamonu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 164% lower in Kastamonu. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $509 in Kastamonu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $1,155 in Kastamonu – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kastamonu runs roughly 163% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,155 in Kastamonu versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kastamonu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kastamonu 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 Kastamonu 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 Kastamonu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.