Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kpalime

For one person, living is cheaper in Kpalime: $128 a month against $1,190 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

Kpalime

🇹🇬 Togo

$128

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kpalime

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Kpalime actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,190 in Phuket versus $128 in Kpalime.

Phuket $1,190
Kpalime $128

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $243 in Kpalime.

Phuket $2,006
Kpalime $243

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $358 in Kpalime.

Phuket $2,822
Kpalime $358

Living in Phuket is roughly 833% more expensive than in Kpalime, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, Kpalime 90% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,087

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿282

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.0

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

$0.87 ฿29.29

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿122

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.2

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.42

$0.83 F CFA 487

74.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.3

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.3

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿654

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿373

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿94.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.3

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿71.9

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.95

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.40

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.72

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.01

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿629

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿746

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.88

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

$26.3K ฿882.1K

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

$26.2K ฿877.3K

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

$96.7 ฿3,236

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

$11.41 ฿382

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿573

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,768

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿371

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿256

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

$555 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿377.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,123

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿958

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,238

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,967

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.6K

$252 F CFA 147.5K

191.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.3K

$121 F CFA 70.8K

278.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.4K

$428 F CFA 250.5K

390.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.7K

$343 F CFA 200.7K

246.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Kpalime: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$458 38.1%

Kpalime

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.3%

Kpalime

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Kpalime

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Kpalime

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$119 9.9%

Kpalime

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.7%

Kpalime

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Kpalime

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $735 in Phuket and $252 in Kpalime. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇹🇬 Kpalime

🕒 Local time

17:06 5:06 PM

10:06 10:06 AM

7 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

75,000

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

West African CFA Franc XOF Fr

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XOF, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Kpalime 10,750 km ≈ 14 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Kpalime

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kpalime: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kpalime is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 833% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,785 in Phuket and $191 in Kpalime to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $735 in Phuket versus $252 in Kpalime. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3117% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,190 per month in Phuket versus $128 in Kpalime – a 833% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $128 in Kpalime versus $1,190 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kpalime but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kpalime the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Phuket and Kpalime 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 Kpalime gentler on the wallet – expenses run 833% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.