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 $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $748 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $1,264 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $1,779 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Phuket costs about 69% more than Khon Kaen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Khon Kaen are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Khon Kaen 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$1.57 ฿51.1

190.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$30.49 ฿993

52.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.02 ฿196

40.70%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.67 ฿54.5

81.44%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.64 ฿20.94

7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.29 ฿9.41

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.79 ฿58.3

39.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.73 ฿187

-36.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.71 ฿55.8

27.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.22 ฿39.60

55.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$0.95 ฿30.88

131.58%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.58 ฿83.9

-13.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$18.28 ฿595

9.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.13 ฿102

16.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.61 ฿346

24.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.14 ฿102

2.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.96 ฿31.19

77.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.58 ฿51.4

51.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.20 ฿39.16

73.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.82 ฿59.4

-12.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.24 ฿40.46

19.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.93 ฿30.45

10.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.51 ฿16.63

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.57 ฿149

-7.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.80 ฿58.8

-2.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.41 ฿78.6

14.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.90 ฿29.30

51.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.06 ฿34.45

196.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.14 ฿37.00

-8.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.07 ฿198

126.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.26 ฿41.17

6.35%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$45.5K ฿1.5M

-39.12%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$28.3K ฿920.9K

19.76%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$64.6 ฿2,103

91.38%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$23.23 ฿757

-41.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$22.76 ฿741

-17.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$62.1 ฿2,024

-0.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$12.01 ฿391

43.63%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.24 ฿203

46.47%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$294 ฿9,564

139.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$9,211 ฿300.0K

72.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$30.45 ฿992

95.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$40.84 ฿1,330

-14.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$76.4 ฿2,487

50.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$63.7 ฿2,076

31.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$250 ฿8,140

147.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$170 ฿5,532

154.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$766 ฿24.9K

169.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$440 ฿14.3K

243.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Khon Kaen: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $619 in Phuket versus $250 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 $47.00 in Phuket versus $30.00 in Khon Kaen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $211 – 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 69%, 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 $1,892 per month in Phuket and $1,122 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 $1,261 in Phuket and $748 in Khon Kaen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $703 per month in Phuket and $294 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 $748, than in Phuket at $1,261. 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.