🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,420 in Kralendijk.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $3,662 in Kralendijk.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $4,903 in Kralendijk.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 48% less than in Kralendijk, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Kralendijk is 80% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Kralendijk
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$22.94$22.94
-80.12%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,519
$101$101
-54.03%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿276
$18.18$18.18
-53.41%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.6
$2.43$2.43
24.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.45
$3.57$3.57
-80.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.92
$1.98$1.98
-81.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.0
$7.28$7.28
-65.80%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿119
$7.08$7.08
-48.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Kralendijk
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.0
$1.89$1.89
15.34%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.0
$2.19$2.19
-13.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.6
-
-
Eggs
$2.22฿72.4
$6.27$6.27
-64.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿651
-
-
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿119
$9.04$9.04
-59.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿432
$21.93$21.93
-39.58%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$3.48$3.48
-7.18%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.3
-
-
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.0
$3.56$3.56
-32.87%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.7
$9.93$9.93
-79.05%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.8
-
-
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.31
-
-
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.54
$4.06$4.06
-74.63%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.83
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿138
-
-
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿612
$15.05$15.05
24.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.2
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿89.8
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Kralendijk
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.32
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿370
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿102
$10.18$10.18
-69.16%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.74
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿448
-
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.79
$1.58$1.58
-15.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿901.4K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Kralendijk
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,025
$564$564
-78.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿440
$44.53$44.53
-69.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿609
$119$119
-84.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Kralendijk
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,013
$101$101
-38.49%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿562
$29.78$29.78
-42.08%
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿298
$15.84$15.84
-42.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Kralendijk
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿22.9K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿517.0K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Kralendijk
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,937
-
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,142
$74.6$74.6
-52.97%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,754
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,737
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Kralendijk
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.1K
$1,080$1,080
-42.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$876$876
-50.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.2K
$1,998$1,998
3.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.2K
$1,742$1,742
-13.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿118.7K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.5K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Kralendijk
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.5K
$1,677$1,677
-69.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
8
-33.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for Kralendijk: June 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $1,080 in Kralendijk. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Kralendijk pays 231% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $101 in Kralendijk for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $305 per month, with Phuket 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 Kralendijk: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Kralendijk?
Phuket and Kralendijk differ by about 92% in total monthly costs ($1,261 vs $2,420 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Kralendijk earns 231% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Kralendijk?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $1,080 in Kralendijk. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $101 in Kralendijk. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Kralendijk?
All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $2,420 in Kralendijk – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,420 in Kralendijk, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Kralendijk. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Kralendijk?
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.
Is Phuket or Kralendijk safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Kralendijk are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Kralendijk?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 92% less than in Kralendijk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.