Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khemisset Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khemisset

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $739 in Khemisset.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,102 in Khemisset.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,465 in Khemisset.

Living in Phuket is roughly 71% more expensive than in Khemisset, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Khemisset 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$1.96 MAD 18.36

128.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$16.34 MAD 153

179.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$7.04 MAD 66.1

24.43%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$0.90 MAD 8.47

230.00%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.39 MAD 3.68

76.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.23 MAD 2.17

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$3.75 MAD 35.19

-32.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.31 MAD 31.04

13.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$0.58 MAD 5.47

270.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$0.39 MAD 3.68

366.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$1.46 MAD 13.73

49.32%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$1.99 MAD 18.64

13.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$10.26 MAD 96.3

94.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.99 MAD 65.6

-48.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$8.99 MAD 84.4

50.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$1.02 MAD 9.54

217.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$0.87 MAD 8.12

88.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$0.64 MAD 5.99

264.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$0.45 MAD 4.25

360.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.69 MAD 6.46

124.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$0.63 MAD 5.94

131.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$0.54 MAD 5.09

81.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.62 MAD 5.80

-22.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$4.31 MAD 40.45

0.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$9.77 MAD 91.7

90.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$3.25 MAD 30.52

-42.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$3.39 MAD 31.78

-21.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

$0.47 MAD 4.38

202.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

$16.14 MAD 151

-28.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.57 MAD 5.35

456.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$0.52 MAD 4.87

98.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$4.47 MAD 41.97

210.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$1.56 MAD 14.59

-14.10%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$36.9K MAD 346.0K

-24.63%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$23.8K MAD 223.4K

40.23%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$84.7 MAD 794

45.36%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$6.41 MAD 60.2

114.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$39.88 MAD 374

-54.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

$13.46 MAD 126

350.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

$22.77 MAD 214

-24.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$7.24 MAD 68.0

22.51%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$97.8 MAD 918

603.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$6,433 MAD 60.4K

145.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$30.64 MAD 287

93.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$45.95 MAD 431

-24.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$89.0 MAD 835

29.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$82.3 MAD 773

1.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$276 MAD 2,594

124.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$171 MAD 1,609

160.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$502 MAD 4,711

305.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$301 MAD 2,821

397.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

$1,110 MAD 10.4K

211.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

$895 MAD 8,396

182.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$397 MAD 3,728

24.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

4.35

22.53%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Khemisset: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $276 in Khemisset. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 24% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $16.00 in Khemisset for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $187 per month, with Khemisset 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 Khemisset: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Khemisset differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $739 including rent). Khemisset is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 24% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $276 in Khemisset. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Khemisset – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $739 in Khemisset – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $739 in Khemisset versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Khemisset but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Khemisset the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Khemisset are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Khemisset gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.