Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Keelung Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Keelung

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $959 in Keelung.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,702 in Keelung.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $2,444 in Keelung.

Living in Phuket is roughly 31% more expensive than in Keelung, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Keelung 30% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$4.73 NT$151

-6.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$30.44 NT$969

15.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$4.75 NT$151

88.63%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$2.84 NT$90.4

5.63%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$0.99 NT$31.39

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$0.77 NT$24.62

-38.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$1.59 NT$50.5

50.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$2.87 NT$91.4

30.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$3.02 NT$96.0

-39.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$1.42 NT$45.08

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.15 NT$36.55

34.78%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.27 NT$72.2

-6.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$28.98 NT$923

-31.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$5.45 NT$173

-36.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$16.50 NT$525

-32.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$4.34 NT$138

-32.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$1.86 NT$59.2

-10.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.77 NT$56.3

28.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$2.19 NT$69.7

-4.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$1.23 NT$39.17

19.51%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.96 NT$62.3

-28.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$2.36 NT$75.2

-53.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$0.84 NT$26.75

-35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$3.89 NT$124

15.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$9.50 NT$303

97.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.11 NT$35.23

65.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.53 NT$80.4

16.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.63 NT$20.21

258.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$61.6 NT$1,962

-62.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$2.69 NT$85.8

13.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$0.95 NT$30.33

14.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$9.19 NT$293

-58.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$0.98 NT$31.34

52.04%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$33.7K NT$1.1M

-18.61%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$22.9K NT$730.6K

19.89%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$40.23 NT$1,281

153.07%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$14.47 NT$461

-22.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$10.86 NT$346

63.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$34.66 NT$1,104

56.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$30.72 NT$978

-64.32%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$7.81 NT$249

0.51%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

$342 NT$10.9K

68.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$17.2K NT$546.6K

-32.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$66.7 NT$2,123

-1.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$35.36 NT$1,126

-18.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$46.42 NT$1,478

113.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$31.40 NT$1,000

187.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$393 NT$12.5K

92.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$250 NT$7,955

95.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$958 NT$30.5K

117.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$750 NT$23.9K

61.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

$3,383 NT$107.7K

6.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

$2,347 NT$74.7K

11.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$2,418 NT$77.0K

-79.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.27

145.37%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Keelung: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $393 in Keelung. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Keelung pays 381% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in Keelung. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $329, with Phuket 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 Keelung: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Keelung differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $959 including rent). Keelung is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 381% lower in Keelung. 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: $756 in Phuket versus $393 in Keelung. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 21% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Keelung – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $35.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $959 in Keelung versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Keelung but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Keelung 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 Keelung 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 Keelung gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.