Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kelachay Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kelachay

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $519 in Kelachay, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $827 in Kelachay, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,134 in Kelachay, rent included.

Phuket costs about 144% more than Kelachay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kelachay are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kelachay 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$3.94 $3.94

19.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$16.93 $16.93

167.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.58 $4.58

84.06%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.66 $0.66

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.12 $1.12

161.61%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.46 $0.46

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.02 $1.02

-63.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.59 $0.59

277.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.56 $0.56

226.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.84 $1.84

17.93%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.19 $1.19

85.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.40 $3.40

480.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.20 $3.20

13.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.12 $10.12

33.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$0.91 $0.91

260.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.36 $1.36

18.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.86 $0.86

180.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.59 $0.59

252.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.51 $0.51

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.46 $0.46

221.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.55 $0.55

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.25 $0.25

104.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.57 $0.57

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 $0.47

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 $1.37

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.25 $2.25

96.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.20 $0.20

585.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$9.85 $9.85

15.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.36 $0.36

738.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.27 $0.27

266.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$1.98 $1.98

612.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$0.77 $0.77

76.62%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$73.3K $73.3K

-61.51%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$53.9K $53.9K

-38.95%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$15.99 $15.99

661.10%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$2.09 $2.09

549.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$5.90 $5.90

210.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$16.03 $16.03

275.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$12.62 $12.62

35.82%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$1.52 $1.52

471.71%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$118 $118

488.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$1,936 $1,936

710.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$22.54 $22.54

164.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$25.35 $25.35

37.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$108 $108

6.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$71.2 $71.2

16.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$287 $287

113.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$203 $203

115.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$642 $642

225.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$324 $324

365.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,312 $1,312

185.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$606 $606

331.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

22.24

-76.03%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kelachay: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $287 in Kelachay. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $17.00 in Kelachay. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $107 – making Kelachay the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kelachay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 144%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $779 in Kelachay. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 16% less in Kelachay. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $118 in Kelachay. 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 Kelachay, where all-in costs run around $519, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kelachay it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kelachay – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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