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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $896 in Khlong Luang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,486 in Khlong Luang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,075 in Khlong Luang.

Living in Phuket is roughly 39% more expensive than in Khlong Luang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Khlong Luang 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.74 ฿126

21.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$31.34 ฿1,054

47.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$9.38 ฿315

-5.76%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.14 ฿72.1

42.99%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.87 ฿29.22

-16.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.35 ฿11.67

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.39 ฿80.5

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.41 ฿81.1

56.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.76 ฿59.3

28.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.40 ฿46.94

29.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.30 ฿43.80

73.08%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.35 ฿79.1

-4.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$15.58 ฿524

25.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.27 ฿110

11.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.35 ฿382

14.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.39 ฿114

-4.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.30 ฿43.56

24.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.92 ฿64.5

23.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.39 ฿46.75

46.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.48 ฿49.79

3.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.21 ฿40.75

23.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.69 ฿57.0

-42.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.54 ฿18.03

-3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.58 ฿154

-3.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$16.16 ฿544

13.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.76 ฿59.2

5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.29 ฿77.0

17.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.94 ฿31.50

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.42 ฿47.81

119.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.34 ฿45.19

-22.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$3.36 ฿113

319.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.34 ฿45.02

-2.24%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$26.4K ฿887.5K

5.40%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$27.3K ฿918.9K

21.57%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$77.8 ฿2,616

57.40%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$13.62 ฿458

-0.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$18.37 ฿618

1.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$50.3 ฿1,690

20.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$12.10 ฿407

40.33%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$7.49 ฿252

21.09%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$297 ฿10.0K

137.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$9,374 ฿315.3K

68.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$29.61 ฿996

97.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$19.85 ฿668

78.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$100.0 ฿3,362

15.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$44.73 ฿1,504

87.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$415 ฿14.0K

50.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$282 ฿9,471

58.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$823 ฿27.7K

147.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$649 ฿21.8K

130.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,893 ฿63.7K

83.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,630 ฿54.8K

58.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Khlong Luang: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $415 in Khlong Luang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $31.00 in Khlong Luang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,345 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: $626 in Phuket versus $415 in Khlong Luang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Phuket versus $896 in Khlong Luang – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $896 in Khlong Luang versus $1,250 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 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.