Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kone Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kone

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $467 in Kone.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $688 in Kone.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $910 in Kone.

Living in Phuket is roughly 171% more expensive than Kone, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kone 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$53.6 CFPF 5,480

-15.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.46 CFPF 149

-65.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$17.71 CFPF 1,809

-75.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$15.72 CFPF 1,605

23.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

$171 CFPF 17.5K

-28.97%

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$95.7 CFPF 9,778

-80.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$57.8 CFPF 5,903

4.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$116 CFPF 11.8K

-48.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$72.0 CFPF 7,355

59.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$590 CFPF 60.3K

3.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$1,539 CFPF 157.2K

36.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$2,998 CFPF 306.2K

-83.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kone: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $590 in Kone. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kone pays 490% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $54.0 in Kone. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $49.00, with Kone cheaper for home cooking.

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 Kone: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kone wins on cost – living expenses run 171% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kone the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Kone earns 490% 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 $590 in Kone. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $467 in Kone – a 171% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 499% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $467 in Kone versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kone but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kone the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kone delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $467 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kone hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kone 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 Kone gentler on the wallet – expenses run 171% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.