Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kempton Park Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kempton Park

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,255 in Kempton Park.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,949 in Kempton Park.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,643 in Kempton Park.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 2% less than in Kempton Park, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Kempton Park 8% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41 ฿147
$9.49 R 156
-53.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,077
$38.75 R 635
-16.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.93 ฿298
$6.18 R 101
44.50%
Cappuccino
$2.90 ฿96.6
$2.59 R 42.45
11.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88 ฿29.38
$1.12 R 18.32
-21.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.06
$0.93 R 15.22
-48.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.35 ฿78.5
$2.54 R 41.65
-7.48%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72 ฿124
$2.84 R 46.51
30.99%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.87 ฿62.3
$1.35 R 22.13
38.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿48.94
$1.18 R 19.28
24.58%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.55 ฿51.8
$1.88 R 30.80
-17.55%
Eggs
$2.10 ฿70.1
$2.61 R 42.77
-19.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.59 ฿654
$8.57 R 140
128.59%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.42 ฿114
$5.16 R 84.5
-33.72%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.38 ฿380
$8.88 R 146
28.15%
Apples (1kg)
$2.98 ฿99.6
$1.91 R 31.32
56.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.2
$1.79 R 29.31
-6.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.21 ฿73.7
$1.85 R 30.38
19.46%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.16 ฿72.1
$2.01 R 33.00
7.46%
Potato (1kg)
$1.52 ฿50.9
$1.83 R 30.00
-16.94%
Onion (1kg)
$1.34 ฿44.67
$1.75 R 28.68
-23.43%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.13 ฿37.67
$1.27 R 20.80
-11.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$1.36 R 22.34
-59.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$3.44 R 56.3
23.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.09 ฿637
$5.71 R 93.5
234.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.4
$1.71 R 27.98
4.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿92.9
$2.47 R 40.53
12.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.23 ฿74.4
$1.53 R 24.98
45.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.74 ฿759
$61.7 R 1,011
-63.16%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.03 ฿101
$0.30 R 4.86
910.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.15
$0.79 R 12.94
29.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.89 ฿130
$15.19 R 249
-74.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.77
$1.56 R 25.62
-4.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K ฿887.3K
$36.9K R 603.9K
-27.91%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K ฿902.2K
$33.4K R 546.3K
-18.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$102 ฿3,420
$191 R 3,124
-46.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33 ฿378
$39.48 R 647
-71.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40 ฿581
$38.45 R 630
-54.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.1 ฿1,738
$39.55 R 648
31.68%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07 ฿370
$12.55 R 205
-11.79%
Cinema Ticket
$7.69 ฿257
$8.25 R 135
-6.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$561 ฿18.7K
$269 R 4,403
108.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿384.1K
$5,670 R 92.9K
102.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0 ฿2,104
$54.3 R 889
16.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52 ฿986
$32.69 R 535
-9.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$98.0 ฿3,272
$94.3 R 1,545
3.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5 ฿2,954
$86.0 R 1,408
2.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$738 ฿24.6K
$315 R 5,167
134.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$482 ฿16.1K
$375 R 6,148
28.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,107 ฿70.3K
$763 R 12.5K
175.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,226 ฿40.9K
$787 R 12.9K
55.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,617 ฿120.7K
$898 R 14.7K
302.84%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,603 ฿86.9K
$694 R 11.4K
275.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kempton Park
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$494 ฿16.5K
$667 R 10.9K
-25.98%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
11.25
-50.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Kempton Park: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $315 in Kempton Park. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kempton Park pays 35% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Kempton Park. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $215, with Kempton Park cheaper for home cooking.

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?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Kempton Park. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or in Kempton Park?
On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Kempton Park. 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 compared to Kempton Park?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $315 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 in Kempton Park?
Shoppers in Kempton Park pay roughly 28% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket and in Kempton Park?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $39.00 in Kempton Park. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Kempton Park?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,255 in Kempton Park, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kempton Park. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket 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 Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Kempton Park. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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