Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Krabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Krabi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,001 in Krabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,452 in Krabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,903 in Krabi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 26% more expensive than Krabi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Krabi 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$3.12 ฿102

50.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$24.63 ฿804

84.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$6.03 ฿197

39.80%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.67 ฿87.3

9.74%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.95 ฿30.88

-27.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.40 ฿12.98

-7.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.39 ฿78.0

0.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.83 ฿92.4

31.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$2.51 ฿82.1

-11.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.45 ฿80.0

-25.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.94 ฿63.5

11.86%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.16 ฿70.6

2.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$27.55 ฿900

-28.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.61 ฿118

0.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.83 ฿256

72.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.47 ฿80.5

32.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.89 ฿28.91

80.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.89 ฿61.8

27.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.95 ฿63.6

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.50 ฿48.88

2.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.35 ฿44.09

9.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.48 ฿48.42

-33.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.44 ฿14.51

15.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$3.65 ฿119

20.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.98 ฿358

76.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.70 ฿55.6

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$3.12 ฿102

-13.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.20 ฿39.20

14.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.11 ฿36.11

172.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.19 ฿38.77

-16.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.15 ฿201

129.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.20 ฿39.19

13.33%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$28.2K ฿921.3K

-0.03%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.9K ฿912.0K

17.83%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$43.78 ฿1,430

177.98%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$12.83 ฿419

5.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$27.96 ฿913

-34.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$40.95 ฿1,338

47.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$12.26 ฿400

39.80%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$6.78 ฿222

28.17%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$213 ฿6,951

225.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$7,852 ฿256.4K

99.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$32.98 ฿1,077

80.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$34.73 ฿1,134

0.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$108 ฿3,528

6.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$76.3 ฿2,491

9.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$498 ฿16.3K

23.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$372 ฿12.1K

17.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$596 ฿19.5K

251.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$445 ฿14.5K

239.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$1,212 ฿39.6K

209.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$1,070 ฿35.0K

144.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$732 ฿23.9K

-30.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Krabi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $498 in Krabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krabi pays 44% 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 $25.00 in Krabi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $280 per month, with Krabi 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 Krabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Krabi differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,001 including rent). Krabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Krabi earns 44% 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 $498 in Krabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,001 in Krabi – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,001 in Krabi versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Krabi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Krabi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Krabi 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 Krabi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.