Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kemaman Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kemaman

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $958 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,419 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,881 in Kemaman, rent included.

Phuket costs about 32% more than Kemaman, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kemaman 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$2.62 MYR 10.45

79.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$13.92 MYR 55.5

225.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$3.80 MYR 15.17

121.84%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.23 MYR 8.89

31.39%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.45 MYR 1.81

53.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.36 MYR 1.45

2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$4.23 MYR 16.87

-43.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$5.50 MYR 21.95

-32.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.88 MYR 7.49

18.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.94 MYR 3.77

94.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$0.93 MYR 3.70

133.33%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.11 MYR 4.41

99.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$14.42 MYR 57.5

36.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.67 MYR 14.65

-1.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$9.31 MYR 37.16

45.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.91 MYR 15.59

-16.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.70 MYR 6.78

-5.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$3.39 MYR 13.54

-28.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.57 MYR 10.24

-19.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.69 MYR 6.75

-9.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.05 MYR 4.18

40.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.08 MYR 4.31

-8.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.49 MYR 1.96

4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.12 MYR 16.44

7.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$19.99 MYR 79.8

-3.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$4.21 MYR 16.79

-57.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$5.46 MYR 21.79

-50.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.72 MYR 2.88

90.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$11.92 MYR 47.57

-4.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.20 MYR 4.78

151.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.09 MYR 4.34

-9.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$4.35 MYR 17.37

224.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.49 MYR 1.97

177.55%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$43.4K MYR 173.1K

-34.99%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$31.3K MYR 124.9K

5.12%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$74.3 MYR 297

63.73%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$9.73 MYR 38.83

39.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$28.93 MYR 115

-36.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$36.23 MYR 145

66.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$5.71 MYR 22.80

200.18%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.54 MYR 22.12

56.86%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$116 MYR 463

497.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$4,285 MYR 17.1K

266.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$109 MYR 436

-45.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$26.83 MYR 107

29.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$74.5 MYR 297

53.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$78.4 MYR 313

6.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$379 MYR 1,514

61.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$272 MYR 1,085

60.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$657 MYR 2,623

218.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$467 MYR 1,865

223.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$1,796 MYR 7,165

108.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$873 MYR 3,484

199.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

3.96

34.60%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $379 in Kemaman. 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 $14.00 in Kemaman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $271 – making Kemaman 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 Kemaman: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,436 in Kemaman. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $14.00 in Kemaman. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $958 in Kemaman. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kemaman, where all-in costs run around $958, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kemaman it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kemaman – 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 Kemaman. 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.