Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kireka Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kireka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $533 in Kireka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $719 in Kireka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $904 in Kireka.

Living in Phuket is roughly 137% more expensive than Kireka, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kireka 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$1.68 UGX 6,312

171.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$14.04 UGX 52.6K

232.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.87 UGX 33.3K

-4.51%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.27 UGX 8,498

33.48%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.27 UGX 1,000

155.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.27 UGX 1,003

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.10 UGX 4,111

126.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.98 UGX 7,424

84.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.53 UGX 2,004

311.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.72 UGX 2,684

163.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.28 UGX 4,812

71.88%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.76 UGX 6,599

26.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$4.24 UGX 15.9K

371.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$5.09 UGX 19.1K

-28.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$4.22 UGX 15.8K

213.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.73 UGX 10.2K

18.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.53 UGX 5,730

11.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.69 UGX 6,329

41.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.61 UGX 6,017

29.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.58 UGX 5,925

0.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.87 UGX 7,022

-20.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.06 UGX 3,967

-2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.55 UGX 2,057

-5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$3.01 UGX 11.3K

41.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$8.67 UGX 32.5K

116.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.01 UGX 3,768

74.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.15 UGX 8,049

28.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.53 UGX 2,000

156.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.55 UGX 2,053

470.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.26 UGX 965

300.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$1.37 UGX 5,137

905.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.46 UGX 5,459

-8.22%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$9,123 UGX 34.2M

203.39%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$8,876 UGX 33.3M

281.51%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$41.99 UGX 157.4K

194.33%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$13.89 UGX 52.1K

-2.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$43.52 UGX 163.1K

-57.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$41.12 UGX 154.1K

50.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.36 UGX 23.8K

43.71%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$84.0 UGX 314.9K

736.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$1,950 UGX 7.3M

714.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$12.29 UGX 46.0K

383.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$14.43 UGX 54.1K

143.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$32.73 UGX 122.7K

252.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$42.44 UGX 159.1K

98.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$191 UGX 716.6K

223.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$98.3 UGX 368.4K

340.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

20.8

-74.38%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kireka: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $191 in Kireka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $14.00 in Kireka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $159 per month, with Kireka 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 Kireka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kireka wins on cost – living expenses run 137% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kireka the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $799 in Kireka to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $191 in Kireka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 84% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $533 in Kireka – a 137% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $533 in Kireka versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kireka but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kireka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kireka delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $533 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kireka hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kireka 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 Kireka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 137% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.