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 $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $737 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,239 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,741 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Phuket costs about 72% more than Khon Kaen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Khon Kaen are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Khon Kaen 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$1.57 ฿52.4

185.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$30.39 ฿1,017

50.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$6.30 ฿211

39.05%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$1.62 ฿54.1

83.33%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.61 ฿20.30

13.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.29 ฿9.61

34.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$1.86 ฿62.3

36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$5.58 ฿187

-32.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$1.72 ฿57.4

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$1.26 ฿42.28

44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$0.90 ฿30.07

142.22%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$2.61 ฿87.4

-13.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$18.65 ฿624

7.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.08 ฿103

17.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$10.93 ฿366

24.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$3.24 ฿108

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$0.96 ฿32.25

70.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$1.51 ฿50.6

54.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$1.22 ฿40.69

69.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.81 ฿60.5

-14.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$1.24 ฿41.36

17.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$0.89 ฿29.68

10.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.48 ฿16.05

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$4.41 ฿147

-1.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$1.78 ฿59.6

4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$2.41 ฿80.5

9.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

$0.91 ฿30.43

56.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.11 ฿36.97

185.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$1.19 ฿39.85

-13.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$6.33 ฿212

119.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$1.25 ฿41.79

7.20%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$46.6K ฿1.6M

-40.43%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$27.4K ฿916.1K

21.89%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$66.2 ฿2,216

85.76%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$22.69 ฿759

-39.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$23.06 ฿771

-20.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

$62.7 ฿2,096

-3.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

$11.98 ฿401

43.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$6.28 ฿210

41.24%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$303 ฿10.1K

126.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$9,313 ฿311.5K

69.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$30.90 ฿1,034

91.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$41.76 ฿1,397

-16.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$77.1 ฿2,578

49.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$65.5 ฿2,190

27.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$251 ฿8,391

147.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$168 ฿5,617

165.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$777 ฿26.0K

161.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$432 ฿14.5K

246.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

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 27, 2026

Last update for Khon Kaen: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $251 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $30.00 in Khon Kaen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $213 – 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 72%, 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,105 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $737 in Khon Kaen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $688 per month in Phuket and $303 in Khon Kaen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Khon Kaen, where all-in costs run around $737, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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.