Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khon Kaen Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khon Kaen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $621 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,043 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,464 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Phuket costs about 104% more than Khon Kaen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Khon Kaen are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Khon Kaen 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.11 ฿103

49.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$30.87 ฿1,020

4.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$5.97 ฿197

45.39%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.55 ฿51.1

87.10%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.59 ฿19.58

42.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.30 ฿10.02

63.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.77 ฿58.5

40.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$6.79 ฿224

-45.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.95 ฿31.45

70.53%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.54 ฿83.8

-11.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$0.93 ฿30.86

84.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.54 ฿50.9

47.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.49 ฿49.10

-4.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.58 ฿19.24

89.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.51 ฿16.76

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.72 ฿56.7

4.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.23 ฿40.69

-12.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.28 ฿42.28

11.72%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$44.8K ฿1.5M

-38.01%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$27.8K ฿917.3K

-2.81%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$97.4 ฿3,218

7.62%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$18.57 ฿613

-38.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$30.18 ฿997

-41.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$61.5 ฿2,031

-11.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$6.20 ฿205

25.48%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$9,301 ฿307.3K

24.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$30.21 ฿998

110.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$36.05 ฿1,191

-19.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$75.5 ฿2,495

27.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$90.2 ฿2,979

-0.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$285 ฿9,425

157.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$163 ฿5,400

206.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$746 ฿24.6K

185.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$491 ฿16.2K

154.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Khon Kaen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $285 in Khon Kaen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $31.00 in Khon Kaen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $46.00 – making Khon Kaen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Khon Kaen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 104%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $932 in Khon Kaen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Khon Kaen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 502% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket and $31.00 in Khon Kaen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Khon Kaen, where all-in costs run around $621, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Khon Kaen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Khon Kaen – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Khon Kaen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.