😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,014 in Kempton Park.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,579 in Kempton Park.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,145 in Kempton Park.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 22% more expensive than Kempton Park, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Kempton Park24% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$8.31R 139
-44.28%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$33.84R 568
38.42%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$4.77R 80.0
85.32%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.18R 36.63
37.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$1.04R 17.43
-28.85%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$0.82R 13.80
-54.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.19R 36.72
11.42%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$2.59R 43.37
39.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.24R 20.87
82.26%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.06R 17.75
73.58%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.66R 27.86
34.94%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.37R 39.77
-2.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$7.62R 128
158.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$4.69R 78.6
-22.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$6.63R 111
97.59%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$1.71R 28.64
98.25%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.53R 25.67
7.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.60R 26.90
50.63%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$1.64R 27.54
23.78%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$1.46R 24.43
6.85%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.44R 24.07
4.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.09R 18.28
-6.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$1.12R 18.71
-56.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$3.02R 50.6
47.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$5.47R 91.8
245.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.50R 25.16
18.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$1.85R 31.07
48.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$1.36R 22.81
2.94%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$56.6R 948
-79.70%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$1.09R 18.26
186.24%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.94R 15.84
6.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$4.15R 69.6
239.52%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.32R 22.17
2.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$22.4KR 375.9K
21.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$24.4KR 408.6K
35.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$124R 2,082
0.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$41.01R 688
-66.91%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$42.95R 720
-56.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$25.75R 432
138.76%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$5.57R 93.4
202.33%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$7.35R 123
25.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$206R 3,451
239.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$4,431R 74.3K
251.92%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$50.7R 850
13.99%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$32.58R 546
8.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$88.4R 1,482
27.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$78.0R 1,307
10.79%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$279R 4,676
120.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$255R 4,283
74.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$693R 11.6K
195.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$563R 9,437
165.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$810R 13.6K
366.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$688R 11.5K
284.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$642R 10.8K
-18.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
11.51
-53.69%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Kempton Park: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $279 in Kempton Park. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kempton Park pays 23% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in Kempton Park for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $185 per month, with Kempton Park 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 Kempton Park: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Kempton Park?
Kempton Park wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kempton Park the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Kempton Park?
On paper, Kempton Park earns 23% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Kempton Park?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $279 in Kempton Park. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or Kempton Park?
Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Kempton Park?
Dining out is cheaper in Kempton Park – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Phuket or Kempton Park?
At $1,014 in Kempton Park versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kempton Park but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kempton Park the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Kempton Park?
Both work as nomad bases, but Kempton Park delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,014 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kempton Park hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Kempton Park?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Kempton Park 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Kempton Park gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.