Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kolin Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kolin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,580 in Kolin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,620 in Kolin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,660 in Kolin.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 20% less than in Kolin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Kolin is 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$9.25 Kč 193

-49.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$43.74 Kč 912

3.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$8.23 Kč 171

2.43%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$3.02 Kč 62.9

-2.98%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.98 Kč 41.37

-65.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.73 Kč 36.03

-78.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.19 Kč 45.66

10.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.73 Kč 57.0

36.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.17 Kč 24.35

90.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.57 Kč 32.70

16.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$2.33 Kč 48.67

-6.87%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.34 Kč 69.5

-33.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$12.55 Kč 262

57.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$9.37 Kč 195

-61.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$14.66 Kč 306

-7.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.76 Kč 36.59

86.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.80 Kč 37.51

-10.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$2.24 Kč 46.61

7.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$3.56 Kč 74.2

-41.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.26 Kč 26.33

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.19 Kč 24.75

24.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.51 Kč 31.42

-34.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.79 Kč 16.38

-35.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$7.08 Kč 148

-37.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$7.39 Kč 154

162.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.05 Kč 21.89

69.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$1.60 Kč 33.28

69.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$1.15 Kč 23.98

19.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$23.50 Kč 490

-51.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.98 Kč 41.20

52.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$1.28 Kč 26.62

-22.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$14.18 Kč 296

-0.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.67 Kč 34.84

-18.56%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$25.6K Kč 534.5K

10.00%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$29.8K Kč 622.1K

10.26%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$256 Kč 5,331

-52.41%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$26.35 Kč 549

-48.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$20.05 Kč 418

-8.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$54.0 Kč 1,125

11.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$37.76 Kč 787

-54.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$10.30 Kč 215

-15.63%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$325 Kč 6,781

113.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$8,904 Kč 185.6K

76.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$82.7 Kč 1,724

-28.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$42.70 Kč 890

-18.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$90.2 Kč 1,879

27.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$116 Kč 2,421

-28.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$673 Kč 14.0K

-8.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$570 Kč 11.9K

-23.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,794 Kč 37.4K

16.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,629 Kč 34.0K

-7.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$8,038 Kč 167.6K

-53.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

$6,216 Kč 129.6K

-57.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$1,386 Kč 28.9K

-63.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.47

-2.56%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kolin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $673 in Kolin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kolin pays 173% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $44.00 in Kolin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $270 per month, with Kolin cheaper across the board.

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 Kolin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kolin earns 173% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $673 in Kolin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Kolin pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $44.00 in Kolin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,580 in Kolin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kolin. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Kolin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kolin 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Kolin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.