😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,022 in Kempton Park.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,573 in Kempton Park.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,124 in Kempton Park.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 20% more expensive than Kempton Park, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Kempton Park23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.51฿147
$8.16R 132
-44.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.62฿1,515
$33.00R 534
41.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.49฿276
$4.93R 79.8
72.21%
Cappuccino
$3.08฿100
$2.19R 35.43
40.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.07
$1.00R 16.12
-32.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.75
$0.81R 13.08
-55.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿78.8
$2.29R 37.01
6.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63฿118
$2.48R 40.14
46.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.19฿71.1
$1.20R 19.42
82.50%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿59.0
$1.07R 17.31
69.16%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23฿72.5
$1.71R 27.74
30.41%
Eggs
$2.24฿72.7
$2.46R 39.80
-8.94%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.60฿637
$7.49R 121
161.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.72฿121
$4.64R 75.1
-19.83%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.47฿438
$6.87R 111
96.07%
Apples(1kg)
$3.36฿109
$1.65R 26.70
103.64%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿52.5
$1.55R 25.13
4.52%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.3
$1.61R 26.05
49.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.6
$1.70R 27.57
17.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.76
$1.46R 23.58
4.79%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45฿47.19
$1.41R 22.75
2.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿32.96
$1.08R 17.50
-6.48%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.73
$1.15R 18.64
-58.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿139
$3.00R 48.53
42.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.12฿621
$5.38R 87.0
255.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84฿59.7
$1.57R 25.48
17.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74฿89.1
$1.77R 28.70
54.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿46.06
$1.38R 22.28
2.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.72฿381
$56.4R 913
-79.22%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.00฿97.6
$1.14R 18.47
163.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05฿34.00
$0.93R 15.09
12.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.90฿452
$4.11R 66.6
238.20%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29฿41.94
$1.30R 21.08
-0.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K฿911.1K
$22.0KR 355.9K
27.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K฿1.1M
$23.6KR 382.6K
41.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,964
$125R 2,019
-2.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93฿453
$40.87R 662
-65.92%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87฿613
$42.16R 682
-55.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.3฿1,992
$25.99R 421
135.78%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿547
$5.74R 92.9
193.38%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿289
$7.69R 125
15.60%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$691฿22.5K
$206R 3,333
235.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.2K฿525.2K
$4,375R 70.8K
269.30%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,878
$50.8R 822
13.83%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39฿1,150
$31.77R 514
11.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,685
$87.9R 1,423
28.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0฿2,698
$77.8R 1,259
6.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$607฿19.7K
$282R 4,568
114.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.6K
$259R 4,189
73.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,029฿66.0K
$681R 11.0K
198.06%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,493฿48.5K
$566R 9,168
163.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,585฿116.5K
$1,026R 16.6K
249.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,585฿84.0K
$783R 12.7K
230.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$505฿16.4K
$652R 10.5K
-22.53%
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: June 13, 2026
Last update for Kempton Park: June 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $282 in Kempton Park. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kempton Park pays 29% 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 $33.00 in Kempton Park for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $186 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 20% 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 29% 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: $607 in Phuket versus $282 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 57% 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 $33.00 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 $1,022 in Kempton Park versus $1,223 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 $1,022 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 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.