Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Knysna Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Knysna

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,211 in Knysna, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,054 per month in Phuket vs $1,806 in Knysna, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,876 per month in Phuket vs $2,401 in Knysna, rent included.

Phuket costs about 2% more than Knysna, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Knysna are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 10% lower, Knysna 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$9.91 R 161

-55.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$40.48 R 658

-20.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$5.96 R 96.9

49.83%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$2.17 R 35.21

33.64%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$1.08 R 17.59

-18.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.76 R 12.44

-36.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.33 R 37.89

0.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.89 R 46.98

28.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.20 R 19.52

55.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.05 R 17.02

40.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.49 R 24.18

4.03%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$2.78 R 45.14

-24.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$8.88 R 144

120.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$5.00 R 81.4

-31.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$8.37 R 136

35.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$1.64 R 26.67

81.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.54 R 25.03

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.62 R 26.42

36.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.60 R 26.02

35.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.73 R 28.21

-12.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.43 R 23.32

-6.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$1.26 R 20.45

-10.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$1.00 R 16.22

-45.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.39 R 55.2

25.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$5.03 R 81.9

279.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.24 R 20.11

43.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$1.53 R 24.85

81.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$1.51 R 24.61

47.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.66 R 10.71

359.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$0.53 R 8.68

92.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$9.01 R 147

-56.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.46 R 23.77

2.05%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$25.0K R 406.9K

6.23%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$29.3K R 476.9K

-7.84%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$116 R 1,883

-11.50%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$34.59 R 562

-67.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$45.25 R 736

-61.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$50.8 R 825

2.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$8.70 R 142

-11.61%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$187 R 3,042

199.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$5,937 R 96.5K

93.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$43.04 R 700

46.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$34.36 R 559

-14.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$111 R 1,799

-11.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$76.6 R 1,246

15.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$530 R 8,612

39.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$498 R 8,099

-3.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$835 R 13.6K

152.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$820 R 13.3K

49.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

$1,035 R 16.8K

249.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

$1,053 R 17.1K

147.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$975 R 15.8K

-49.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.83

-52.92%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Knysna: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Phuket versus $530 in Knysna. 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 97% higher in Knysna, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $40.00 in Knysna. Groceries tell a different story – $274 in Phuket vs $193 in Knysna – so Knysna wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Knysna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Phuket is pricier by about 2%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,816 in Knysna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $1,211 in Knysna. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $561 per month in Phuket and $187 in Knysna. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Knysna, where all-in costs run around $1,211, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Knysna it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Knysna – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Knysna. 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.