Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kisii Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kisii

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $309 in Kisii.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $442 in Kisii.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $576 in Kisii.

Living in Phuket is roughly 309% more expensive than in Kisii, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Kisii 78% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿153

$2.67 KES 345

74.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,060

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿286

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.4

$1.40 KES 181

107.14%

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

$0.84 ฿27.78

$0.82 KES 105

2.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.10

$0.22 KES 28.43

122.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿81.7

$1.83 KES 236

35.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.34 KES 302

59.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.0

$0.88 KES 114

114.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.36

$0.48 KES 62.1

193.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.4

$2.34 KES 302

-30.77%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.8

$1.83 KES 236

22.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿653

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿374

$4.56 KES 590

149.34%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.4

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.8

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.2

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.53

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.73

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.11

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.68

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.3

$1.96 KES 253

-8.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿97.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿73.9

$0.41 KES 52.8

448.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿773

$15.66 KES 2,026

50.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.75 KES 96.4

313.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.42

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿127

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.97

$1.55 KES 201

-7.74%

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

$27.8K ฿914.4K

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

$27.0K ฿888.0K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

137.10%

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

$105 ฿3,449

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

$11.39 ฿375

$16.47 KES 2,131

-30.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿577

$49.35 KES 6,383

-64.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,788

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿377

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿256

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$38.45 KES 4,973

1399.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,094

$11.39 KES 1,473

458.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿958

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,167

$39.25 KES 5,076

145.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,962

$30.78 KES 3,981

192.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$78.2 KES 10.1K

540.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.2K

$157 KES 20.3K

699.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kisii: September 5, 2026

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 Kisii: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kisii wins on cost – living expenses run 309% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kisii the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $464 in Kisii 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 412% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $309 in Kisii – a 309% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $309 in Kisii versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kisii but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kisii the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kisii delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $309 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kisii hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kisii 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 Kisii gentler on the wallet – expenses run 309% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.