Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khlong Luang Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khlong Luang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $915 in Khlong Luang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,495 in Khlong Luang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,075 in Khlong Luang.

Living in Phuket is roughly 38% more expensive than Khlong Luang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Khlong Luang 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$3.77 ฿123

24.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$31.17 ฿1,018

45.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$9.39 ฿307

-10.22%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.16 ฿70.5

35.65%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.79 ฿25.93

-12.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.34 ฿11.25

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.41 ฿78.8

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.52 ฿82.2

47.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.73 ฿56.6

28.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.41 ฿45.90

29.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.31 ฿42.65

65.65%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.38 ฿77.6

-7.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$15.47 ฿505

27.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.31 ฿108

9.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$11.07 ฿361

22.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.27 ฿107

0.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.27 ฿41.53

26.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.95 ฿63.8

23.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.39 ฿45.41

49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.49 ฿48.64

2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.16 ฿37.85

27.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.62 ฿53.0

-38.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.53 ฿17.32

-3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.72 ฿154

-6.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$17.06 ฿557

13.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.77 ฿57.7

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.38 ฿77.7

13.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.96 ฿31.46

42.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.38 ฿45.07

118.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.34 ฿43.65

-26.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$3.49 ฿114

304.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.28 ฿41.76

6.25%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$26.6K ฿868.0K

6.12%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.8K ฿875.3K

22.77%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$78.3 ฿2,558

55.39%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$13.74 ฿449

-1.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$18.30 ฿598

0.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$49.31 ฿1,611

22.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$12.04 ฿393

42.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.78 ฿254

11.70%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$296 ฿9,683

133.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$9,080 ฿296.6K

72.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$30.18 ฿986

97.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$19.54 ฿638

77.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$99.5 ฿3,251

15.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$44.40 ฿1,450

87.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$425 ฿13.9K

44.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$288 ฿9,418

51.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$801 ฿26.1K

161.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$659 ฿21.5K

128.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,828 ฿59.7K

105.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,548 ฿50.6K

68.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Khlong Luang: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $425 in Khlong Luang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Khlong Luang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $248 per month, with Khlong Luang 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 Khlong Luang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khlong Luang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,372 in Khlong Luang to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $425 in Khlong Luang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $915 in Khlong Luang – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $915 in Khlong Luang versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khlong Luang but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Khlong Luang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Khlong Luang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Khlong Luang 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 Khlong Luang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.