Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kiambu Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kiambu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $489 in Kiambu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $759 in Kiambu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,030 in Kiambu.

Living in Phuket is roughly 156% more expensive than in Kiambu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kiambu 63% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.12 KES 403

45.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$19.07 KES 2,464

142.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$4.74 KES 613

86.50%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.91 KES 246

60.21%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.50 KES 64.3

46.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.36 KES 47.14

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.73 KES 224

40.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.34 KES 302

61.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.64 KES 82.5

253.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.54 KES 69.2

235.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.66 KES 214

35.54%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.29 KES 167

74.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$11.83 KES 1,529

64.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.76 KES 874

-46.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$4.17 KES 539

212.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.06 KES 395

5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.07 KES 139

51.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$0.81 KES 104

193.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.59 KES 76.8

244.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.59 KES 75.7

159.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.76 KES 98.1

97.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.32 KES 41.55

206.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.37 KES 48.13

40.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.01 KES 390

47.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$11.50 KES 1,486

59.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.30 KES 298

-19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.84 KES 367

-5.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.56 KES 72.1

151.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.53 KES 197

103.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.41 KES 52.6

153.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.84 KES 367

396.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.52 KES 196

-13.82%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$21.7K KES 2.8M

28.15%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

66.88%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$28.46 KES 3,678

330.22%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$7.90 KES 1,021

72.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$28.86 KES 3,730

-35.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$11.68 KES 1,509

417.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.93 KES 767

52.95%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$201 KES 26.0K

251.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$7,976 KES 1.0M

98.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$6.26 KES 809

835.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$23.57 KES 3,045

50.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$26.87 KES 3,473

329.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$30.47 KES 3,937

174.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$117 KES 15.1K

436.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$92.6 KES 12.0K

380.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$191 KES 24.7K

966.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$149 KES 19.3K

900.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,159 KES 149.8K

200.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$123 KES 15.9K

305.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-51.55%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kiambu: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $117 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 306% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Kiambu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $183 per month, with Kiambu 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 Kiambu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kiambu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 156% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 306% higher in Phuket, 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: $626 in Phuket versus $117 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $201 in Kiambu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kiambu – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $489 in Kiambu versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kiambu but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kiambu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kiambu 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 Kiambu 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 Kiambu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 156% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.