Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kayfan Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kayfan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,316 in Kayfan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $2,247 in Kayfan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $3,177 in Kayfan, rent included.

Phuket is about 6% cheaper than Kayfan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kayfan are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Kayfan 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$11.21 KWD 3.44

-60.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$65.4 KWD 20.09

-50.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$8.77 KWD 2.70

1.82%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.17 KWD 0.98

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.88 KWD 1.50

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$5.13 KWD 1.58

-43.47%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$0.76 KWD 0.23

15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.31 KWD 0.10

54.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$1.65 KWD 0.51

13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$1.48 KWD 0.45

-0.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.92 KWD 0.59

-19.27%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.12 KWD 0.65

-0.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$4.34 KWD 1.34

351.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.79 KWD 2.09

-49.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$10.44 KWD 3.21

9.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$2.43 KWD 0.75

22.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.86 KWD 0.57

-9.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.87 KWD 0.57

18.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$1.55 KWD 0.48

39.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.33 KWD 0.41

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$1.44 KWD 0.44

-6.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$2.26 KWD 0.70

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.59 KWD 0.18

-6.78%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.26 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 KWD 0.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.70 KWD 0.83

57.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

$0.85 KWD 0.26

162.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$4.80 KWD 1.48

-36.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$3.31 KWD 1.02

-69.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$15.95 KWD 4.90

-75.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$0.36 KWD 0.11

313.89%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$20.8K KWD 6,399

27.66%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$20.2K KWD 6,211

33.74%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$66.9 KWD 20.54

53.28%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$22.58 KWD 6.94

-49.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$29.99 KWD 9.22

-41.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$99.6 KWD 30.59

-47.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$11.49 KWD 3.53

-33.07%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$300 KWD 92.1

87.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$9,516 KWD 2,924

20.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$37.08 KWD 11.39

69.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$40.11 KWD 12.33

-26.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$96.5 KWD 29.64

1.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$89.7 KWD 27.58

-1.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$823 KWD 253

-10.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$583 KWD 179

-17.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$1,695 KWD 521

24.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$1,409 KWD 433

-13.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$4,064 KWD 1,249

-87.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.53

-14.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kayfan: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $823 in Kayfan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 723% higher in Kayfan, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $65.0 in Kayfan. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $187 in Kayfan – so Kayfan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kayfan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kayfan costs about 7% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,975 in Kayfan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $1,316 in Kayfan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $300 in Kayfan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Kayfan at $1,316. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kayfan it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $1,316 in Kayfan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Kayfan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.