Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kirtipur Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kirtipur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $455 in Kirtipur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $734 in Kirtipur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,013 in Kirtipur, rent included.

Phuket costs about 175% more than Kirtipur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Kirtipur are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kirtipur 66% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$1.84 NPR 283

147.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$18.80 NPR 2,899

145.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.57 NPR 1,013

34.55%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.85 NPR 286

65.41%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.54 NPR 82.9

35.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.15 NPR 22.51

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.63 NPR 406

-7.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.53 NPR 545

7.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.75 NPR 116

201.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.54 NPR 83.6

235.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.99 NPR 153

127.27%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.77 NPR 273

27.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.83 NPR 1,362

120.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$3.16 NPR 487

15.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$5.99 NPR 924

117.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.20 NPR 340

46.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.05 NPR 161

54.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.20 NPR 186

98.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$0.69 NPR 106

194.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.52 NPR 80.1

194.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.68 NPR 104

120.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.52 NPR 80.5

88.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.25 NPR 38.14

108.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.95 NPR 454

50.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.87 NPR 1,367

106.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.25 NPR 348

-17.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$3.26 NPR 503

-17.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.21 NPR 31.89

571.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.16 NPR 333

43.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.06 NPR 164

-1.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$3.75 NPR 578

276.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.21 NPR 186

8.26%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$32.2K NPR 5.0M

-13.60%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$40.2K NPR 6.2M

-17.43%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$33.19 NPR 5,118

268.91%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$4.78 NPR 737

184.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$9.35 NPR 1,443

100.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$18.17 NPR 2,802

232.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$3.25 NPR 501

179.08%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$35.94 NPR 5,542

1865.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$3,808 NPR 587.2K

315.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$25.19 NPR 3,885

132.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$28.39 NPR 4,378

24.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$59.4 NPR 9,164

94.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$39.57 NPR 6,102

111.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$104 NPR 16.1K

500.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$63.5 NPR 9,794

600.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$208 NPR 32.0K

882.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$142 NPR 21.9K

949.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

12.08

-55.88%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kirtipur: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $104 in Kirtipur. 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Kirtipur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $153 – making Kirtipur 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 Kirtipur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 175%, 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $683 in Kirtipur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kirtipur, 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 $1,250 in Phuket and $455 in Kirtipur. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $35.94 in Kirtipur. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kirtipur, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Kirtipur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kirtipur – 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 Kirtipur. 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.