Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and KelibiaCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kelibia
Monthly Cost of Living
😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $593 in Kelibia.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $938 in Kelibia.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,282 in Kelibia.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 113% more expensive than Kelibia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket6% lower, Kelibia56% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kelibia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿150
$2.69TND 7.80
69.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,535
$13.81TND 40.12
237.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿279
$3.44TND 9.98
146.22%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿99.7
$0.60TND 1.75
405.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.69
$0.52TND 1.52
32.69%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$0.23TND 0.66
60.87%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.9
$1.55TND 4.51
60.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿120
$1.94TND 5.63
88.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kelibia
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.8
$0.45TND 1.31
384.44%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.6
$0.18TND 0.51
955.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿72.4
$1.53TND 4.46
43.79%
Eggs
$2.22฿73.2
$1.65TND 4.78
34.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿658
$11.41TND 33.14
75.20%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿121
$5.85TND 16.98
-37.44%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿436
$13.56TND 39.38
-2.29%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿106
$1.17TND 3.39
176.07%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.9
$2.65TND 7.69
-35.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.8
$0.78TND 2.25
206.41%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$0.66TND 1.93
215.15%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿52.4
$0.66TND 1.93
140.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.83
$0.76TND 2.21
94.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.90
$0.52TND 1.52
98.08%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿17.01
$0.28TND 0.82
85.71%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿140
$3.41TND 9.89
24.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿618
$5.02TND 14.59
274.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.8
$1.10TND 3.20
60.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿90.8
$1.06TND 3.09
160.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kelibia
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.79
$0.32TND 0.94
325.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿374
$10.12TND 29.41
12.25%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿103
$0.31TND 0.91
912.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿34.10
$0.30TND 0.88
246.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿453
$7.44TND 21.61
85.08%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.26
$0.89TND 2.57
50.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿911.1K
$36.0KTND 104.6K
-23.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$34.8KTND 101.0K
-2.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kelibia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,069
$44.91TND 130
175.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿445
$9.66TND 28.06
39.96%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿615
$14.56TND 42.30
28.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kelibia
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,035
$16.28TND 47.31
279.73%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿568
$12.84TND 37.31
34.35%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿301
$3.47TND 10.07
163.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kelibia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿23.1K
$108TND 314
549.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿522.5K
$2,531TND 7,353
527.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kelibia
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,958
$44.58TND 130
33.38%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,154
$44.80TND 130
-21.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,795
$103TND 298
12.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,767
$64.4TND 187
30.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kelibia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.4K
$198TND 576
212.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.2K
$136TND 396
217.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.9K
$373TND 1,082
453.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.7K
$266TND 773
467.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿120.0K
$1,021TND 2,967
256.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿86.4K
$635TND 1,844
313.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kelibia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.7K
$243TND 706
108.73%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
13.6
-60.81%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Kelibia: June 8, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $198 in Kelibia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Phuket pays 109% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in Kelibia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $178 per month, with Kelibia 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 Kelibia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Kelibia cheaper than Phuket?
Kelibia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 113% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Kelibia?
Phuket pays 109% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Kelibia?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $198 in Kelibia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Kelibia runs roughly 12% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $108 in Kelibia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Kelibia?
At $593 in Kelibia versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kelibia but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kelibia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Kelibia more family-friendly?
For families, Kelibia 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Kelibia?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Kelibia are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Kelibia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 113% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.