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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $604 in Kisumu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $955 in Kisumu, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,305 in Kisumu, rent included.

Phuket costs about 107% more than Kisumu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Kisumu are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Kisumu 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.76 KES 615

-4.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$23.41 KES 3,025

97.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.42 KES 829

37.69%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.26 KES 292

35.40%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.56 KES 71.9

30.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.54 KES 70.1

-25.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.89 KES 244

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.87 KES 371

31.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.51 KES 66.5

343.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.53 KES 68.0

241.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.66 KES 215

35.54%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.70 KES 219

32.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$11.51 KES 1,487

69.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.94 KES 897

-47.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$5.14 KES 665

153.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.15 KES 406

2.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.04 KES 135

55.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.07 KES 267

14.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.02 KES 131

99.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.08 KES 140

41.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.88 KES 114

70.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.66 KES 84.9

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.75 KES 96.6

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.12 KES 404

42.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$7.72 KES 998

137.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.29 KES 296

-18.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.30 KES 297

16.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.75 KES 96.6

88.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$22.84 KES 2,952

-48.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.58 KES 204

96.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.57 KES 203

-33.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.81 KES 364

402.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.52 KES 196

-13.82%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$22.1K KES 2.9M

25.99%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

63.71%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$34.40 KES 4,446

255.93%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$16.99 KES 2,195

-20.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$39.89 KES 5,155

-53.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$23.55 KES 3,043

156.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.09 KES 787

48.93%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$115 KES 14.9K

511.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$8,154 KES 1.1M

93.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$11.50 KES 1,486

409.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$19.04 KES 2,461

85.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$15.22 KES 1,967

658.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$15.75 KES 2,035

431.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$138 KES 17.8K

353.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$109 KES 14.0K

309.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$353 KES 45.7K

477.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$213 KES 27.5K

600.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$772 KES 99.7K

351.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$781 KES 100.9K

-36.00%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 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 56% 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $23.00 in Kisumu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 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 107% 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $906 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 51% 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 $46.00 in Phuket and $23.00 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 $604, than in Phuket at $1,250. 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 $604 versus $1,250 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.