Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khoy Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Khoy

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $537 in Khoy.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $829 in Khoy.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,121 in Khoy.

Living in Phuket is roughly 129% more expensive than Khoy, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Khoy 60% lower.

Currency
ðŸ― Eating Out
Phuket
Khoy
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63 āļŋ151
$3.90 $3.90
18.72%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84 āļŋ1,532
$17.15 $17.15
173.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.84 āļŋ289
$4.60 $4.60
92.17%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.62 $0.62
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.05 $1.05
-
Cappuccino
$3.00 āļŋ98.0
$1.10 $1.10
172.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 āļŋ24.25
$0.46 $0.46
60.87%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 āļŋ11.95
$1.00 $1.00
-63.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.44 āļŋ79.8
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 āļŋ118
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Khoy
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.26 āļŋ73.9
$0.59 $0.59
283.05%
White Bread (500g)
$1.84 āļŋ60.1
$0.56 $0.56
228.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 āļŋ73.4
$1.87 $1.87
19.79%
Eggs
$2.32 āļŋ75.7
$1.18 $1.18
96.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.67 āļŋ643
$3.50 $3.50
462.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.65 āļŋ119
$3.77 $3.77
-3.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.10 āļŋ428
$10.18 $10.18
28.68%
Apples (1kg)
$3.39 āļŋ111
$0.87 $0.87
289.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 āļŋ53.7
$1.10 $1.10
49.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 āļŋ79.0
$1.33 $1.33
81.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.03 āļŋ66.4
$0.54 $0.54
275.93%
Potato (1kg)
$1.56 āļŋ50.9
$0.64 $0.64
143.75%
Onion (1kg)
$1.50 āļŋ48.94
$0.71 $0.71
111.27%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 āļŋ33.50
$0.68 $0.68
50.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 āļŋ16.00
$0.28 $0.28
75.00%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$1.02 $1.02
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.49 $0.49
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.37 $1.37
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45 āļŋ145
$2.14 $2.14
107.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.88 āļŋ617
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 āļŋ58.1
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 āļŋ90.1
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Khoy
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.40 āļŋ45.81
$0.14 $0.14
900.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.48 āļŋ376
$10.04 $10.04
14.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.12 āļŋ102
$0.34 $0.34
817.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.00 āļŋ32.67
$0.29 $0.29
244.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$14.09 āļŋ461
$2.01 $2.01
601.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.35 āļŋ44.19
$0.73 $0.73
84.93%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K āļŋ888.9K
$72.4K $72.4K
-62.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K āļŋ1.1M
$55.7K $55.7K
-40.90%
ðŸ§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Khoy
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$125 āļŋ4,087
$15.89 $15.89
686.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57 āļŋ444
$2.04 $2.04
565.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52 āļŋ606
$5.72 $5.72
223.78%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Khoy
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.5 āļŋ2,010
$15.88 $15.88
287.15%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84 āļŋ551
$12.72 $12.72
32.39%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19 āļŋ300
$1.51 $1.51
508.61%
ðŸ§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Khoy
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$698 āļŋ22.8K
$116 $116
499.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.6K āļŋ509.9K
$1,992 $1,992
682.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Khoy
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8 āļŋ1,889
$22.20 $22.20
160.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24 āļŋ1,152
$25.14 $25.14
40.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$113 āļŋ3,699
$112 $112
1.14%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4 āļŋ2,825
$69.6 $69.6
24.20%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Khoy
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$616 āļŋ20.1K
$286 $286
115.36%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$446 āļŋ14.6K
$197 $197
126.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,048 āļŋ67.0K
$626 $626
227.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,492 āļŋ48.8K
$323 $323
361.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,779 āļŋ123.6K
$1,097 $1,097
244.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,649 āļŋ86.6K
$572 $572
363.27%
ðŸ’ĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Khoy
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$524 āļŋ17.1K
$223 $223
134.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
22.24
-76.03%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Khoy: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $286 in Khoy. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 135% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $17.00 in Khoy for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $112 per month, with Khoy 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 Khoy: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Khoy?
Phuket and Khoy differ by about 129% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $537 including rent). Khoy is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Phuket or Khoy?
Phuket pays 135% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Khoy?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $286 in Khoy. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Khoy – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Khoy?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $537 in Khoy – a 129% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $537 in Khoy versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Khoy but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Khoy the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Khoy?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Khoy safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Khoy are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Khoy?
Expats usually find Khoy gentler on the wallet – expenses run 129% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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