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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $964 in Kemaman, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,429 in Kemaman, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,893 in Kemaman, rent included.

Phuket costs about 30% more than Kemaman, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Phuket and Kemaman are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kemaman 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$2.56 MYR 10.48

77.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$14.40 MYR 58.9

220.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$3.66 MYR 14.97

141.53%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.32 MYR 9.50

31.90%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.45 MYR 1.86

62.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.34 MYR 1.37

17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$4.36 MYR 17.84

-44.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$5.46 MYR 22.32

-30.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.91 MYR 7.83

18.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.04 MYR 4.24

74.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.95 MYR 3.90

136.84%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.11 MYR 4.56

102.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$14.10 MYR 57.7

38.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.71 MYR 15.19

-1.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$9.44 MYR 38.61

38.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$4.04 MYR 16.53

-20.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.69 MYR 6.93

-4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$3.46 MYR 14.14

-31.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.58 MYR 10.54

-21.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.70 MYR 6.95

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.04 MYR 4.27

44.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.08 MYR 4.40

-9.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.49 MYR 2.00

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.36 MYR 17.82

1.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$19.32 MYR 79.0

-5.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$4.26 MYR 17.41

-56.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$5.42 MYR 22.19

-50.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.69 MYR 2.83

104.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$11.83 MYR 48.39

-1.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.15 MYR 4.71

170.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.09 MYR 4.48

-4.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$4.20 MYR 17.18

235.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$0.47 MYR 1.92

178.72%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$44.4K MYR 181.5K

-37.32%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$31.4K MYR 128.5K

5.76%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$74.0 MYR 303

65.46%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$9.84 MYR 40.25

38.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$27.85 MYR 114

-32.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$37.41 MYR 153

61.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$5.75 MYR 23.51

195.30%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.51 MYR 22.55

64.61%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$120 MYR 489

491.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$4,355 MYR 17.8K

262.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$111 MYR 452

-47.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$27.63 MYR 113

27.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$74.0 MYR 303

55.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$77.4 MYR 316

8.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$380 MYR 1,553

64.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$271 MYR 1,108

64.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$634 MYR 2,595

221.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$467 MYR 1,910

219.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,083 MYR 8,519

67.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,150 MYR 4,704

124.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kemaman: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $380 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $14.00 in Kemaman. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $272 – 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 30%, 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,446 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 $46.00 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 $1,250 in Phuket and $964 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 $964, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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.