Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kish Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kish

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $522 in Kish.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $810 in Kish.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,098 in Kish.

Living in Phuket is roughly 142% more expensive than Kish, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kish 61% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$4.37 $4.37

4.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$15.62 $15.62

198.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$3.34 $3.34

153.59%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.67 $0.67

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 $1.00

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.14 $1.14

165.79%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.43 $0.43

60.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.93 $0.93

-60.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.58 $0.58

275.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.52 $0.52

265.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.93 $1.93

13.99%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.18 $1.18

88.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$3.48 $3.48

474.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.23 $3.23

13.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$9.68 $9.68

36.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$0.91 $0.91

254.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.39 $1.39

22.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$0.87 $0.87

174.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.58 $0.58

258.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.51 $0.51

211.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.45 $0.45

228.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.56 $0.56

83.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.23 $0.23

126.09%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.66 $0.66

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 $0.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.22 $2.22

91.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.22 $0.22

518.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$10.08 $10.08

12.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$0.34 $0.34

823.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$0.29 $0.29

258.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$1.94 $1.94

609.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$0.79 $0.79

69.62%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$71.8K $71.8K

-61.43%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$54.3K $54.3K

-37.58%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$15.50 $15.50

697.35%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$2.04 $2.04

562.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$5.83 $5.83

220.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$15.69 $15.69

294.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$12.38 $12.38

39.34%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$1.52 $1.52

501.32%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$118 $118

496.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$1,965 $1,965

707.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$22.63 $22.63

162.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$24.64 $24.64

42.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$109 $109

5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$68.8 $68.8

22.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$283 $283

118.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$202 $202

113.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$624 $624

230.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$323 $323

367.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,220 $1,220

198.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$586 $586

347.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$415 $415

22.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

22.24

-76.03%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kish: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $283 in Kish. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $16.00 in Kish for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $106 per month, with Kish 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 Kish: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Kish differ by about 142% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $522 including rent). Kish is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Phuket pays 22% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $283 in Kish. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 177% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kish – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $522 in Kish versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kish but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kish the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kish 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 Kish gentler on the wallet – expenses run 142% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.