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 $1,124 in Kinmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,864 in Kinmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,603 in Kinmen, rent included.

Phuket costs about 13% more than Kinmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kinmen are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kinmen 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.23 NT$165

-10.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$30.74 NT$967

47.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.46 NT$172

54.40%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.91 NT$91.5

0.69%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$1.09 NT$34.45

-36.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.77 NT$24.33

-51.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.89 NT$59.4

27.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.64 NT$83.2

40.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$3.26 NT$103

-31.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.90 NT$59.9

-3.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$2.79 NT$87.9

-22.22%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.84 NT$89.3

-22.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$18.85 NT$593

4.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.00 NT$252

-54.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$17.25 NT$543

-21.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$4.58 NT$144

-28.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.56 NT$80.7

-37.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.67 NT$84.2

-9.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.49 NT$110

-40.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.87 NT$90.3

-46.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.24 NT$70.4

-33.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.96 NT$61.7

-49.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.25 NT$39.49

-59.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.19 NT$132

5.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$14.40 NT$453

34.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.66 NT$52.1

7.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.47 NT$77.8

9.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.89 NT$27.89

53.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$39.20 NT$1,234

-70.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.94 NT$92.5

2.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$0.77 NT$24.35

28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$10.28 NT$324

37.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.06 NT$33.49

28.30%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$35.9K NT$1.1M

-21.36%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.7K NT$808.1K

28.16%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$86.4 NT$2,719

40.91%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$24.55 NT$773

-44.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$22.48 NT$708

-18.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$36.74 NT$1,156

63.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$15.18 NT$478

12.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$10.06 NT$317

-13.62%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$419 NT$13.2K

65.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$15.3K NT$482.6K

2.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$84.1 NT$2,647

-29.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$34.75 NT$1,094

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$91.0 NT$2,864

25.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$103 NT$3,244

-19.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$440 NT$13.8K

39.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$286 NT$8,994

52.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,034 NT$32.6K

102.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$740 NT$23.3K

103.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$7,661 NT$241.2K

-51.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$5,295 NT$166.7K

-50.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

2.18

144.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kinmen: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $440 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $31.00 in Kinmen. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $367 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 13%, 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 $1,686 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 $693 per month in Phuket and $419 in Kinmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% 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 $1,124, 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.