Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khost Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khost

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $51 in Khost.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $86 in Khost.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $121 in Khost.

Living in Phuket is roughly 2399% more expensive than Khost, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Khost 96% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.89 ؋121

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$0.42 ؋26.73

240.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

$17.29 ؋1,110

-32.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$0.69 ؋44.06

340.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$0.68 ؋43.78

52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$2.22 ؋143

516.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.13 ؋72.7

15.04%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿3,962

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

$13.82 ฿445

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$7.33 ؋471

734.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

$5.61 ؋360

199.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$2.93 ؋188

202.73%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$28.95 ؋1,858

2025.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$14.19 ؋911

3060.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$71.1 ؋4,564

2832.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$42.38 ؋2,720

3429.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

$188 ؋12.0K

184.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-46.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Khost: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $29 in Khost. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 184% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $0 in Khost for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $0 per month, with Khost 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 Khost: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Khost is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 2399% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 184% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $28.95 in Khost. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Khost runs roughly 48% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

All in, you'll spend $1,270 per month in Phuket versus $50.8 in Khost – a 2399% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $50.8 in Khost versus $1,270 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Khost but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Khost the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Khost 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 Khost 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 Khost gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2399% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.