Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kauai, Hawaii Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kauai, Hawaii

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,527 in Kauai, Hawaii.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $3,714 in Kauai, Hawaii.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $4,900 in Kauai, Hawaii.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 50% less than in Kauai, Hawaii, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Kauai, Hawaii is 89% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$18.98 $18.98

-75.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$75.4 $75.4

-38.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$10.84 $10.84

-19.93%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$5.05 $5.05

-41.58%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$2.60 $2.60

-73.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$2.04 $2.04

-80.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$5.86 $5.86

-56.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$7.07 $7.07

-46.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.01 $1.01

119.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$3.55 $3.55

-49.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$4.39 $4.39

-50.11%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$4.09 $4.09

-43.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$12.02 $12.02

60.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$11.36 $11.36

-66.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$15.66 $15.66

-15.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$4.83 $4.83

-31.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.61 $1.61

2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$4.23 $4.23

-45.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$4.62 $4.62

-56.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$2.80 $2.80

-45.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$2.78 $2.78

-45.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$2.12 $2.12

-51.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$2.09 $2.09

-75.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$9.38 $9.38

-52.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$13.84 $13.84

40.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$1.79 $1.79

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$3.39 $3.39

-20.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$1.98 $1.98

-27.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$3.55 $3.55

-14.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$1.60 $1.60

-35.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$28.87 $28.87

-52.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$0.84 $0.84

54.76%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$30.0K $30.0K

-7.14%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$26.0K $26.0K

27.00%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$184 $184

-33.10%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$52.2 $52.2

-73.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$67.9 $67.9

-72.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$42.69 $42.69

43.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$13.32 $13.32

-33.41%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$1,288 $1,288

-45.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$23.9K $23.9K

-32.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$51.9 $51.9

14.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$39.82 $39.82

-12.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$86.8 $86.8

30.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$111 $111

-23.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$1,571 $1,571

-60.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$1,371 $1,371

-67.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$2,602 $2,602

-19.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$2,190 $2,190

-31.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

$2,728 $2,728

36.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

$2,465 $2,465

8.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.51

-18.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Kauai, Hawaii: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $1,571 in Kauai, Hawaii. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $75 in Kauai, Hawaii for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $384 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 Kauai, Hawaii: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 99% lower than in Kauai, Hawaii. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,904 in Phuket and $3,791 in Kauai, Hawaii to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $1,571 in Kauai, Hawaii. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Kauai, Hawaii. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Phuket versus $2,527 in Kauai, Hawaii – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,527 in Kauai, Hawaii, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kauai, Hawaii. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,270 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kauai, Hawaii 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 99% less than in Kauai, Hawaii. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.