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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,097 in Kruje.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,638 in Kruje.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,180 in Kruje.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kruje 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$9.31 ALL 761

-51.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$36.56 ALL 2,987

27.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$7.24 ALL 592

16.99%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$1.94 ALL 158

56.19%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.64 ALL 134

-57.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.88 ALL 71.9

-57.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.29 ALL 187

8.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.32 ALL 271

10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.99 ALL 163

9.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.93 ALL 76.1

104.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$2.02 ALL 165

8.91%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$3.00 ALL 245

-26.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$9.73 ALL 795

105.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.79 ALL 637

-53.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$13.41 ALL 1,095

-1.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$1.77 ALL 145

82.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$2.43 ALL 198

-30.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.71 ALL 140

39.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.39 ALL 113

49.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.05 ALL 86.0

51.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.18 ALL 96.7

25.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.10 ALL 90.2

-6.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.78 ALL 63.5

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.14 ALL 338

2.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$10.13 ALL 828

85.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.63 ALL 133

7.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.75 ALL 143

57.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.48 ALL 39.52

183.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

$18.54 ALL 1,515

-38.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$3.52 ALL 287

-10.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$3.08 ALL 251

-66.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$17.94 ALL 1,466

-23.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$2.17 ALL 177

-38.25%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$34.2K ALL 2.8M

-19.18%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

35.65%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$67.6 ALL 5,526

82.72%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.20 ALL 1,405

-21.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$15.61 ALL 1,275

19.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$55.9 ALL 4,565

10.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$25.57 ALL 2,089

-32.54%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$8.39 ALL 686

8.94%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$161 ALL 13.1K

337.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$5,608 ALL 458.2K

183.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$46.32 ALL 3,784

28.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$50.9 ALL 4,157

-31.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$94.8 ALL 7,745

21.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$130 ALL 10.6K

-35.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$452 ALL 37.0K

36.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$345 ALL 28.2K

25.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$613 ALL 50.1K

236.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$435 ALL 35.5K

247.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,080 ALL 169.9K

75.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,235 ALL 100.9K

112.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$660 ALL 53.9K

-23.14%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Kruje: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $452 in Kruje. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kruje pays 30% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $37.00 in Kruje for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $246 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 ($1,261 vs $1,097 including rent). Kruje is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kruje earns 30% 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: $619 in Phuket versus $452 in Kruje. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,261 per month in Phuket versus $1,097 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 $1,097 in Kruje versus $1,261 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.