Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kruje Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kruje

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,098 in Kruje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,632 in Kruje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,166 in Kruje.

Living in Phuket is roughly 15% more expensive than in Kruje, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Kruje 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$9.15 ALL 744

-51.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$36.36 ALL 2,954

25.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$7.23 ALL 588

21.16%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.90 ALL 154

56.32%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.65 ALL 134

-58.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.86 ALL 70.3

-54.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.31 ALL 188

9.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.24 ALL 264

15.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$2.04 ALL 166

5.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.93 ALL 75.4

95.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.96 ALL 159

11.22%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.95 ALL 240

-23.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$9.73 ALL 790

105.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$7.79 ALL 633

-53.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$13.37 ALL 1,086

1.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.72 ALL 140

88.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.48 ALL 201

-33.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$1.75 ALL 142

33.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.32 ALL 107

56.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.06 ALL 86.1

46.23%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.19 ALL 96.6

22.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$1.11 ALL 89.9

-11.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.78 ALL 63.4

-38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$4.14 ALL 337

5.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$9.88 ALL 802

87.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.64 ALL 133

13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$1.74 ALL 142

52.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.49 ALL 39.75

189.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$18.90 ALL 1,536

-38.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$3.40 ALL 276

-6.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$3.15 ALL 256

-67.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$17.61 ALL 1,431

-21.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$2.16 ALL 175

-37.96%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$34.7K ALL 2.8M

-19.83%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$25.3K ALL 2.1M

32.08%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$66.2 ALL 5,379

85.88%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.23 ALL 1,400

-20.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$15.90 ALL 1,292

15.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$54.1 ALL 4,398

12.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$25.39 ALL 2,063

-32.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$8.01 ALL 651

10.74%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$162 ALL 13.1K

325.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$5,677 ALL 461.3K

177.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$46.36 ALL 3,766

27.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$49.90 ALL 4,054

-30.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$95.0 ALL 7,721

21.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$130 ALL 10.5K

-35.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$446 ALL 36.2K

39.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$347 ALL 28.2K

28.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$622 ALL 50.5K

226.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$436 ALL 35.4K

243.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$1,910 ALL 155.2K

80.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,259 ALL 102.3K

101.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$649 ALL 52.8K

-24.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

33.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Kruje: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $446 in Kruje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kruje pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $36.00 in Kruje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $245 per month, with Kruje 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 Kruje: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Kruje differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,264 vs $1,098 including rent). Kruje is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Kruje. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $446 in Kruje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $1,098 in Kruje – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kruje runs roughly 63% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,098 in Kruje versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kruje but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kruje 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 Kruje 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 Kruje gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.