Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kisumu Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kisumu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $593 in Kisumu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $945 in Kisumu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $1,298 in Kisumu, rent included.

Phuket costs about 113% more than Kisumu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Kisumu are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kisumu 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$4.58 KES 593

2.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$23.50 KES 3,042

93.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$6.78 KES 877

24.34%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.26 KES 292

29.65%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$0.60 KES 77.6

15.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$0.51 KES 65.6

-27.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.95 KES 252

23.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.85 KES 369

30.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.53 KES 68.2

320.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$0.56 KES 72.4

226.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.67 KES 216

29.94%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.62 KES 209

36.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.81 KES 1,529

67.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.59 KES 852

-44.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$5.14 KES 665

163.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.04 KES 394

7.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.03 KES 134

56.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.17 KES 280

11.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.00 KES 129

108.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.07 KES 139

42.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.95 KES 123

55.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.64 KES 82.5

54.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.76 KES 98.2

-32.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.15 KES 408

40.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$7.93 KES 1,026

144.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.29 KES 296

-22.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.34 KES 302

15.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.79 KES 102

73.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$23.22 KES 3,006

-50.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.57 KES 204

92.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.51 KES 196

-34.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$2.97 KES 384

374.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.53 KES 198

-11.11%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$21.5K KES 2.8M

30.97%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$20.0K KES 2.6M

64.59%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$34.39 KES 4,452

253.88%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$16.65 KES 2,155

-18.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$39.66 KES 5,134

-53.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$22.91 KES 2,966

162.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.03 KES 780

44.11%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$115 KES 14.9K

501.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$8,201 KES 1.1M

91.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$11.50 KES 1,488

417.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$19.49 KES 2,523

78.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$15.54 KES 2,012

637.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$15.66 KES 2,027

431.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$138 KES 17.9K

344.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$107 KES 13.8K

309.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$351 KES 45.5K

496.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$218 KES 28.2K

593.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$772 KES 99.9K

385.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$768 KES 99.5K

-33.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-55.58%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $138 in Kisumu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 51% higher in Kisumu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket versus $24.00 in Kisumu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $192 – making Kisumu 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 Kisumu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 113% more than Kisumu, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $890 in Kisumu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kisumu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Phuket and $24.00 in Kisumu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kisumu, where all-in costs run around $593, than in Phuket at $1,265. In Kisumu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kisumu costs $593 versus $1,265 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Kisumu. 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.