Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khon Kaen

For one person, living is cheaper in Khon Kaen: $608 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $8,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Khon Kaen

🇹🇭 Thailand

$608

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Khon Kaen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Khon Kaen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $608 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Khon Kaen $608

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $1,024 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Khon Kaen $1,024

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $1,440 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Khon Kaen $1,440

Phuket costs about 110% more than Khon Kaen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Phuket and Khon Kaen are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Khon Kaen 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$3.04 ฿102

47.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,092

$29.92 ฿1,008

8.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$5.93 ฿200

48.57%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.3

$1.46 ฿49.29

93.84%

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

$0.87 ฿29.37

$0.59 ฿19.79

47.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.64

$0.29 ฿9.80

68.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.2

$1.72 ฿57.9

48.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$6.73 ฿227

-45.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.25

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$0.86 ฿29.10

74.42%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.4

$2.47 ฿83.3

-15.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿642

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.7

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$0.87 ฿29.29

94.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$1.50 ฿50.6

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.47

$1.50 ฿50.6

-8.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.91

$0.62 ฿20.81

72.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.49

$0.52 ฿17.67

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿633

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

$1.65 ฿55.5

10.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.93

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,909

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.29

$1.20 ฿40.51

-15.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.70

$1.32 ฿44.60

11.36%

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

$26.8K ฿902.4K

$44.6K ฿1.5M

-39.93%

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

$26.7K ฿899.5K

$26.5K ฿894.4K

0.57%

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

$96.4 ฿3,247

$94.7 ฿3,190

1.79%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$17.99 ฿606

-37.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$29.73 ฿1,002

-43.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,266

$59.5 ฿2,005

12.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿361

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$5.85 ฿197

28.21%

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

$476 ฿16.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.6K

$8,970 ฿302.3K

25.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,102

$30.04 ฿1,012

107.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿957

$34.83 ฿1,174

-18.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,178

$73.8 ฿2,486

27.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,892

$90.5 ฿3,051

-5.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

$280 ฿9,431

155.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.5K

$156 ฿5,256

214.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿64.9K

$730 ฿24.6K

163.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.2K

$480 ฿16.2K

197.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

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: October 26, 2026

Last update for Khon Kaen: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Khon Kaen

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Khon Kaen

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Khon Kaen

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Khon Kaen

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Khon Kaen

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Khon Kaen

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Khon Kaen

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $280 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 in Phuket versus $30 in Khon Kaen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $45 – making Khon Kaen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇹🇭 Khon Kaen

🕒 Local time

11:02 11:02 AM

Same time as Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

114,459

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Khon Kaen 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Khon Kaen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 110%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $913 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $280 there versus $716 in Phuket.

Groceries cost about 498% more in Phuket, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $30 in Khon Kaen. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Khon Kaen, where all-in costs run around $608, than in Phuket at $1,278. In Khon Kaen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $608 in Khon Kaen to $1,278 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.