Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kinmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kinmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,095 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,855 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $2,614 in Kinmen, rent included.

Phuket costs about 16% more than Kinmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kinmen are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Kinmen 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$4.64 NT$147

0.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,066

$31.44 NT$996

2.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$4.92 NT$156

76.42%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.9

$3.02 NT$95.8

-3.97%

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

$0.84 ฿27.91

$0.97 NT$30.73

-13.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.17

$0.72 NT$22.74

-31.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.1

$1.71 NT$54.0

45.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.59 NT$82.0

44.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.99 NT$94.7

-36.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.58

$1.87 NT$59.4

-24.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.74 NT$86.9

-40.88%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.58 NT$81.8

-13.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$20.15 NT$638

-1.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$8.12 NT$257

-57.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$21.62 NT$685

-47.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$3.93 NT$124

-26.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$2.52 NT$79.8

-31.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.2

$2.92 NT$92.5

-22.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.5

$3.24 NT$103

-34.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$2.69 NT$85.4

-45.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.96

$2.26 NT$71.6

-37.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.29

$2.30 NT$72.7

-52.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.78

$1.05 NT$33.12

-42.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.14 NT$131

4.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$11.91 NT$377

56.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.6

$1.59 NT$50.4

13.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.1

$2.23 NT$70.7

33.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.3

$0.66 NT$20.81

240.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿777

$39.56 NT$1,253

-40.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿103

$2.66 NT$84.3

16.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.59

$0.82 NT$25.93

31.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$8.89 NT$282

-56.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.20

$1.07 NT$33.94

33.64%

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

$27.8K ฿918.9K

$32.5K NT$1.0M

-14.63%

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

$27.0K ฿892.4K

$20.8K NT$658.9K

29.72%

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

$105 ฿3,466

$102 NT$3,232

2.70%

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

$11.39 ฿377

$16.95 NT$537

-32.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$23.41 NT$742

-25.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,797

$41.18 NT$1,304

31.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$11.32 NT$358

-31.27%

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

$576 ฿19.1K

$464 NT$14.7K

24.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿383.0K

$18.2K NT$577.9K

-36.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,104

$56.4 NT$1,786

12.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿962

$38.88 NT$1,232

-25.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,182

$91.3 NT$2,892

5.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,977

$102 NT$3,240

-12.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$408 NT$12.9K

79.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.6K

$255 NT$8,078

96.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.3K

$985 NT$31.2K

115.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$737 NT$23.4K

69.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.9K

$6,355 NT$201.3K

-44.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.7K

$5,173 NT$163.9K

-49.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

2.27

145.37%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $408 in Kinmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $31.00 in Kinmen. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $369 in Kinmen – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Kinmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 16%, 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 $1,643 in Kinmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kinmen, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $576 per month in Phuket and $464 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 34% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kinmen, where all-in costs run around $1,095, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kinmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kinmen – 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 Kinmen. 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.