Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kaลกtela Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kaลกtela

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,356 in Kaลกtela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,132 in Kaลกtela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,908 in Kaลกtela.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 7% less than in Kaลกtela, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Kaลกtela
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56 เธฟ149
$16.04 โ‚ฌ13.82
-71.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63 เธฟ1,519
$80.8 โ‚ฌ69.6
-42.27%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.47 เธฟ276
$9.12 โ‚ฌ7.86
-7.13%
Cappuccino
$3.03 เธฟ98.6
$2.89 โ‚ฌ2.49
4.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 เธฟ22.45
$3.40 โ‚ฌ2.93
-79.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 เธฟ11.92
$2.53 โ‚ฌ2.18
-85.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.49 เธฟ81.0
$4.51 โ‚ฌ3.89
-44.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 เธฟ119
$3.81 โ‚ฌ3.28
-3.94%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kaลกtela
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.18 เธฟ71.0
$1.38 โ‚ฌ1.19
57.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.90 เธฟ62.0
$1.57 โ‚ฌ1.36
21.02%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.20 เธฟ71.6
$3.12 โ‚ฌ2.69
-29.49%
Eggs
$2.22 เธฟ72.4
$3.92 โ‚ฌ3.38
-43.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.99 เธฟ651
$10.05 โ‚ฌ8.66
98.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.66 เธฟ119
$9.40 โ‚ฌ8.10
-61.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.25 เธฟ432
$12.85 โ‚ฌ11.07
3.11%
Apples (1kg)
$3.23 เธฟ105
$1.79 โ‚ฌ1.54
80.45%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 เธฟ55.3
$1.70 โ‚ฌ1.46
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.39 เธฟ78.0
$2.16 โ‚ฌ1.86
10.65%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 เธฟ67.7
$2.27 โ‚ฌ1.96
-8.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.59 เธฟ51.8
$1.53 โ‚ฌ1.32
3.92%
Onion (1kg)
$1.48 เธฟ48.31
$1.40 โ‚ฌ1.20
5.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 เธฟ33.54
$1.36 โ‚ฌ1.17
-24.26%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 เธฟ16.83
$1.25 โ‚ฌ1.08
-58.40%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25 เธฟ138
$5.85 โ‚ฌ5.04
-27.35%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 เธฟ612
$7.51 โ‚ฌ6.47
150.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76 เธฟ57.2
$1.34 โ‚ฌ1.15
31.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76 เธฟ89.8
$1.13 โ‚ฌ0.97
144.25%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Phuket
Kaลกtela
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.36 เธฟ44.32
$2.36 โ‚ฌ2.03
-42.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.36 เธฟ370
$37.44 โ‚ฌ32.26
-69.66%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.14 เธฟ102
$3.54 โ‚ฌ3.05
-11.30%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.04 เธฟ33.74
$2.12 โ‚ฌ1.83
-50.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.77 เธฟ448
$9.03 โ‚ฌ7.78
52.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 เธฟ43.79
$1.79 โ‚ฌ1.54
-25.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K เธฟ901.4K
$38.4K โ‚ฌ33.1K
-28.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K เธฟ1.1M
$26.6K โ‚ฌ22.9K
27.53%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kaลกtela
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 เธฟ4,025
$183 โ‚ฌ158
-32.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52 เธฟ440
$23.81 โ‚ฌ20.52
-43.22%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69 เธฟ609
$25.04 โ‚ฌ21.57
-25.36%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kaลกtela
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.8 เธฟ2,013
$58.5 โ‚ฌ50.4
5.73%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25 เธฟ562
$14.43 โ‚ฌ12.44
19.54%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14 เธฟ298
$9.35 โ‚ฌ8.06
-2.25%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kaลกtela
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$703 เธฟ22.9K
$188 โ‚ฌ162
273.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K เธฟ517.0K
$1,363 โ‚ฌ1,174
1064.73%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kaลกtela
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5 เธฟ1,937
$82.4 โ‚ฌ71.0
-27.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07 เธฟ1,142
$28.53 โ‚ฌ24.58
22.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 เธฟ3,754
$109 โ‚ฌ93.5
6.20%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1 เธฟ2,737
$106 โ‚ฌ91.2
-20.58%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kaลกtela
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$619 เธฟ20.1K
$483 โ‚ฌ416
28.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$433 เธฟ14.1K
$341 โ‚ฌ293
27.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,062 เธฟ67.2K
$603 โ‚ฌ519
242.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,511 เธฟ49.2K
$551 โ‚ฌ475
174.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,646 เธฟ118.7K
$3,400 โ‚ฌ2,929
7.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,626 เธฟ85.5K
$2,500 โ‚ฌ2,154
5.04%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kaลกtela
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$507 เธฟ16.5K
$888 โ‚ฌ765
-42.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
4.35
22.53%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kaลกtela: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $483 in Kaลกtela. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kaลกtela pays 75% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $81.0 in Kaลกtela. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $264, with Kaลกtela 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 Kaลกtela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Kaลกtela?
Phuket and Kaลกtela differ by about 8% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $1,356 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, Kaลกtela earns 75% 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 Kaลกtela?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $483 in Kaลกtela. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and Kaลกtela?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 230% less than in Kaลกtela. 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 Kaลกtela?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $188 in Kaลกtela. 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 $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,356 in Kaลกtela, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kaลกtela. 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 Kaลกtela?
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 Kaลกtela safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Kaลกtela 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 Kaลกtela?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 8% less than in Kaลกtela. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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