Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Kukes

For one person, living is cheaper in Kukes: $750 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
36

Cost of Living Index in Kukes
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Kukes Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Kukes

🇦🇱 Albania

$750

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Kukes

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Kukes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $750 in Kukes.

Phuket $1,278
Kukes $750

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,115 in Kukes.

Phuket $2,216
Kukes $1,115

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,480 in Kukes.

Phuket $3,154
Kukes $1,480

Living in Phuket is roughly 70% more expensive than in Kukes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Kukes 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$3.63 ALL 293

23.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$22.06 ALL 1,782

46.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$7.57 ALL 612

16.38%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.5

$1.49 ALL 121

89.93%

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

$0.87 ฿29.43

$1.40 ALL 113

-37.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.67

$0.64 ALL 51.5

-23.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.4

$1.89 ALL 153

35.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$2.25 ALL 182

63.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.59 ALL 128

4.40%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.35

$0.78 ALL 63.0

87.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$2.10 ALL 170

-28.57%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$2.72 ALL 220

-23.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿644

$9.23 ALL 745

106.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$7.39 ALL 597

-55.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$10.49 ALL 847

4.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿99.0

$0.98 ALL 79.0

198.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$1.91 ALL 154

-11.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.95 ALL 76.4

136.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$1.59 ALL 129

30.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$0.77 ALL 62.3

96.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$1.02 ALL 82.3

35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.99

$1.08 ALL 87.3

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.52

$0.70 ALL 56.6

-25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$4.41 ALL 356

-4.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$7.51 ALL 607

150.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$1.09 ALL 88.0

66.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$1.64 ALL 132

73.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

$0.50 ALL 40.72

190.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

$19.35 ALL 1,563

192.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$3.80 ALL 307

-20.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.36

$3.80 ALL 307

-73.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$4.91 ALL 396

-24.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.81

$2.25 ALL 182

-34.67%

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

$26.8K ฿904.3K

$33.8K ALL 2.7M

-20.86%

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

$26.7K ฿901.3K

$24.8K ALL 2.0M

7.45%

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

$96.4 ฿3,254

$61.4 ALL 4,962

56.82%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$16.50 ALL 1,332

-31.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$17.09 ALL 1,380

-1.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,270

$57.5 ALL 4,640

17.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$12.40 ALL 1,002

-13.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$3.62 ALL 292

107.18%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$99.3 ALL 8,022

379.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,106

$37.24 ALL 3,008

67.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$28.06 ALL 2,267

1.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,184

$50.2 ALL 4,055

87.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,898

$44.89 ALL 3,626

91.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$235 ALL 18.9K

205.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$175 ALL 14.1K

181.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.1K

$281 ALL 22.7K

586.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$207 ALL 16.7K

590.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

$1,941 ALL 156.8K

115.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$1,312 ALL 106.0K

131.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$544 ALL 43.9K

-7.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kukes: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Kukes

$175 23.3% 64.4% $316

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Kukes

$208 27.7% 21.9% $58

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Kukes

$95 12.7% 23.7% $29

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Kukes

$72 9.6% 40.8% $50

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Kukes

$92 12.2% 24.6% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Kukes

$65 8.6% 21.3% $18

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Kukes

$44 5.9% 37.4% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $235 in Kukes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kukes pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $22 in Kukes for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $208 per month, with Kukes cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇦🇱 Kukes

🕒 Local time

01:39 1:39 AM

19:39 7:39 PM

6 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

47,985

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Albanian Lek ALL L

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100 ALL = 1.24 USD

100 ALL = 1.11 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

ALL, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Albanian Lek exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 80.77 ALL (100 ALL = 1.24 USD). 1 EUR = 89.91 ALL (100 ALL = 1.11 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Kukes 8,430 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Kukes

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Kukes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kukes is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 8% lower in Phuket. 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: $716 in Phuket versus $235 in Kukes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Kukes runs roughly 66% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $99 in Kukes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $750 in Kukes versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kukes but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Kukes 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.

Expats usually find Kukes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.