Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kimberley Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kimberley

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,038 in Kimberley, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,752 in Kimberley, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,466 in Kimberley, rent included.

Phuket costs about 22% more than Kimberley, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kimberley are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kimberley 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$11.10 R 181

-57.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$33.16 R 541

36.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.64 R 92.1

49.47%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.75 R 44.88

6.55%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.24 R 20.15

-44.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.21 R 19.83

-69.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.51 R 40.93

-3.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.59 R 42.22

43.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.49 R 24.25

49.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.07 R 17.42

71.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.79 R 45.59

-22.22%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.74 R 44.72

-19.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.90 R 96.3

234.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$5.41 R 88.2

-32.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.97 R 130

69.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.07 R 33.71

58.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.17 R 35.47

-25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.51 R 24.69

59.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.12 R 50.8

-33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.26 R 36.87

-32.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.21 R 19.67

22.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.23 R 20.13

-19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.82 R 13.43

-37.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.86 R 46.75

54.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$6.60 R 108

193.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.14 R 34.87

-16.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.61 R 42.60

3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.69 R 27.59

-18.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$31.03 R 506

-63.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.66 R 10.70

357.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.94 R 15.35

5.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$3.99 R 65.1

253.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.33 R 21.70

2.26%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$21.5K R 351.0K

31.11%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.5K R 383.3K

40.09%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$96.2 R 1,570

26.45%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$38.82 R 634

-65.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$45.57 R 744

-59.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$21.26 R 347

183.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.75 R 110

28.74%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$157 R 2,559

342.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$4,319 R 70.5K

263.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$34.09 R 556

74.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$31.86 R 520

9.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$82.8 R 1,352

38.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$79.5 R 1,298

4.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$249 R 4,068

145.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$311 R 5,079

40.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$584 R 9,525

258.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$883 R 14.4K

70.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$989 R 16.1K

279.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$640 R 10.4K

308.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$958 R 15.6K

-46.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.51

-53.69%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kimberley: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $249 in Kimberley. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 89% higher in Kimberley, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $33.00 in Kimberley. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $214 – making Kimberley 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 Kimberley: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,557 in Kimberley. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kimberley, 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 $1,265 in Phuket and $1,038 in Kimberley. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 172% less in Kimberley. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kimberley, where all-in costs run around $1,038, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kimberley it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kimberley – 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 Kimberley. 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.