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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,253 per month in Phuket vs $647 in Kisumu, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,043 per month in Phuket vs $976 in Kisumu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,833 per month in Phuket vs $1,306 in Kisumu, rent included.

Phuket costs about 94% more than Kisumu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Kisumu are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 9% lower, Kisumu 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$3.79 KES 490

20.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,072

$25.57 KES 3,308

27.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$6.07 KES 785

46.62%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.62 KES 339

6.87%

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

$0.88 ฿28.93

$0.56 KES 72.2

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.52 KES 67.0

-5.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$1.96 KES 253

21.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$2.63 KES 340

41.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.7

$0.53 KES 67.9

237.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.38

$0.56 KES 71.9

157.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.87 KES 242

-15.51%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$1.64 KES 212

29.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$10.44 KES 1,351

90.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$6.23 KES 806

-44.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$4.90 KES 633

131.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿96.9

$3.36 KES 434

-12.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$0.94 KES 122

82.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.4

$2.06 KES 266

12.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.11 KES 144

87.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.33

$1.06 KES 137

38.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.64

$0.89 KES 115

52.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.12

$0.68 KES 87.8

61.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.76 KES 98.5

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$3.16 KES 409

35.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿605

$7.49 KES 969

145.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$2.20 KES 284

-15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.0

$2.34 KES 303

24.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

$0.80 KES 103

177.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

$22.92 KES 2,964

-0.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$1.58 KES 205

91.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.31

$1.50 KES 194

-28.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$2.86 KES 370

37.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.04

$1.58 KES 205

-5.70%

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

$27.1K ฿891.7K

$20.1K KES 2.6M

34.80%

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

$27.5K ฿902.3K

$19.9K KES 2.6M

37.80%

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

$103 ฿3,379

$59.9 KES 7,741

71.76%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$15.04 KES 1,945

-26.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$35.28 KES 4,563

-50.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$23.27 KES 3,010

130.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$7.81 KES 1,010

-4.23%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$116 KES 15.0K

380.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.6K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

3.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,106

$11.43 KES 1,478

460.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$19.11 KES 2,472

52.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,154

$15.76 KES 2,038

508.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$15.30 KES 1,979

490.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$157 KES 20.3K

366.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$141 KES 18.2K

254.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$568 KES 73.5K

267.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.7K

$217 KES 28.0K

458.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$787 KES 101.8K

356.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

$780 KES 100.9K

-35.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.71

-62.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Kisumu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $730 in Phuket versus $157 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 55% 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 $33.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Kisumu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $273 vs $186 – 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 94% 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 $1,880 per month in Phuket and $971 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 47% 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 $33.00 in Phuket and $26.00 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 $647, than in Phuket at $1,253. 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 $647 versus $1,253 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.