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 $1,042 in Krabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,438 in Krabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,834 in Krabi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 21% more expensive than in Krabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Krabi 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.09 ฿102

50.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$19.41 ฿641

66.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.87 ฿293

-2.14%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.79 ฿59.2

62.01%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.09 ฿36.18

-22.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.45 ฿14.76

8.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.92 ฿63.4

29.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$2.49 ฿82.3

49.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$2.29 ฿75.6

-17.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.49 ฿49.16

-5.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$2.20 ฿72.8

-26.36%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.84 ฿60.8

21.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$16.02 ฿529

23.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$2.81 ฿92.7

23.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.69 ฿254

47.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.47 ฿81.6

17.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.07 ฿35.52

60.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.14 ฿70.8

6.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.56 ฿51.5

36.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.42 ฿46.96

3.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.31 ฿43.40

8.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.57 ฿51.8

-29.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.49 ฿16.14

22.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$4.46 ฿147

-3.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$10.96 ฿362

69.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.82 ฿60.2

-1.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.41 ฿79.5

23.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.95 ฿31.54

136.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.47 ฿81.5

25.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.77 ฿58.4

-38.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$6.06 ฿200

-36.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.28 ฿42.24

11.72%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$22.1K ฿730.9K

25.60%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$24.7K ฿817.1K

9.11%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$72.0 ฿2,378

45.60%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$11.45 ฿378

-0.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$24.90 ฿823

-29.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$64.1 ฿2,117

-15.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$9.09 ฿300

25.85%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.46 ฿246

4.29%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$213 ฿7,049

170.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$8,492 ฿280.6K

36.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$14.92 ฿493

326.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$15.40 ฿509

88.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$75.5 ฿2,496

27.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$75.7 ฿2,500

18.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$355 ฿11.7K

106.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$420 ฿13.9K

19.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$718 ฿23.7K

196.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$542 ฿17.9K

131.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$1,229 ฿40.6K

187.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,076 ฿35.6K

143.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$708 ฿23.4K

-28.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.4

-24.73%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Krabi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $355 in Krabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Krabi pays 39% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Krabi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $229 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 21% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,042 including rent). Krabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Krabi. 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: $733 in Phuket versus $355 in Krabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% 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 $1,042 in Krabi – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,042 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 21% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.