Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kelcyre Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kelcyre

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,221 in Kelcyre.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,882 in Kelcyre.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,544 in Kelcyre.

Living in Phuket is roughly 4% more expensive than in Kelcyre, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Kelcyre 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$10.05 ALL 794

-53.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$53.3 ALL 4,208

-39.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$11.17 ALL 882

-22.29%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.38 ALL 188

21.85%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$2.49 ALL 197

-66.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$1.35 ALL 106

-63.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$3.58 ALL 283

-30.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.25 ALL 336

-12.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.30 ALL 182

-17.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.23 ALL 97.3

14.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.41 ALL 191

-32.78%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.79 ALL 299

-40.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$13.66 ALL 1,079

45.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$9.33 ALL 737

-62.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$17.26 ALL 1,363

-34.13%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.94 ALL 153

49.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.50 ALL 198

-31.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.29 ALL 181

-0.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.86 ALL 147

14.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.03 ALL 81.4

42.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.29 ALL 102

10.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.49 ALL 117

-26.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.80 ALL 63.2

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$5.00 ALL 395

-13.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$11.39 ALL 900

63.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.79 ALL 142

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.05 ALL 162

44.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.48 ALL 38.17

368.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$20.02 ALL 1,582

17.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$3.87 ALL 306

-19.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$3.83 ALL 303

-71.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$19.05 ALL 1,505

-79.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$2.40 ALL 190

-40.42%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$35.3K ALL 2.8M

-21.24%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$37.0K ALL 2.9M

-27.07%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$103 ALL 8,146

1.61%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$18.88 ALL 1,491

-39.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$20.80 ALL 1,643

-15.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$57.7 ALL 4,559

-5.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$9.98 ALL 788

-22.04%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$349 ALL 27.6K

65.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$8,304 ALL 655.8K

39.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$49.80 ALL 3,933

27.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$48.27 ALL 3,812

-39.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$123 ALL 9,704

-21.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$117 ALL 9,203

-22.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$490 ALL 38.7K

49.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$336 ALL 26.6K

48.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$724 ALL 57.2K

193.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$473 ALL 37.4K

164.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,875 ALL 148.1K

88.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,256 ALL 99.2K

108.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.64

-1.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kelcyre: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $490 in Kelcyre. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $53.0 in Kelcyre for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $300 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 Kelcyre: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Kelcyre differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,221 including rent). Kelcyre is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,832 in Kelcyre 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: $733 in Phuket versus $490 in Kelcyre. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kelcyre runs roughly 17% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $349 in Kelcyre. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,221 in Kelcyre versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kelcyre but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kelcyre the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kelcyre is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kelcyre 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 Kelcyre gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.