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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $486 in Kiambu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $750 in Kiambu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,014 in Kiambu.

Living in Phuket is roughly 160% more expensive than Kiambu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kiambu 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$3.16 KES 410

48.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$19.55 KES 2,533

132.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.55 KES 589

85.27%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.91 KES 247

53.40%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.54 KES 70.2

27.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.34 KES 43.48

8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.76 KES 228

36.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.26 KES 293

64.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.68 KES 88.3

227.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.53 KES 68.1

245.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.66 KES 216

30.72%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.36 KES 176

62.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.74 KES 1,522

68.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.55 KES 848

-44.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$4.15 KES 537

226.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.04 KES 394

7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.09 KES 141

47.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$0.78 KES 102

208.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.56 KES 72.7

271.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.55 KES 70.7

178.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.76 KES 98.5

94.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.32 KES 41.56

209.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.40 KES 52.0

27.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.01 KES 390

46.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$11.43 KES 1,481

69.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.19 KES 284

-18.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.79 KES 362

-2.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.56 KES 72.1

144.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.59 KES 207

89.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.37 KES 48.56

167.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.85 KES 369

394.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.53 KES 198

-11.11%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$21.9K KES 2.8M

28.79%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$19.7K KES 2.6M

66.75%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$28.59 KES 3,704

325.67%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$7.60 KES 984

78.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$29.32 KES 3,799

-37.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$11.59 KES 1,502

419.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.64 KES 731

54.08%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$204 KES 26.5K

239.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$8,097 KES 1.0M

93.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$6.24 KES 808

854.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$23.84 KES 3,088

45.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$27.40 KES 3,550

318.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$30.38 KES 3,936

174.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$115 KES 14.9K

432.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$92.7 KES 12.0K

371.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$191 KES 24.8K

995.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$146 KES 18.9K

933.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,137 KES 147.2K

229.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$122 KES 15.8K

315.73%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kiambu: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $115 in Kiambu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 316% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in Kiambu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $181 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 160% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 316% 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: $613 in Phuket versus $115 in Kiambu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $204 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 $20.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $486 in Kiambu versus $1,265 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 160% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.