Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Malindi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Malindi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $348 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,286 per month in Phuket vs $571 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,310 per month in Phuket vs $794 in Malindi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 262% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Malindi 74% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$2.12 KES 274

115.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$30.55 KES 3,962

52.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.60 KES 207

-56.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.91 KES 119

-59.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$3.57 KES 463

-30.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.56 KES 461

2.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.97 KES 126

124.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.27 KES 164

73.23%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.92 KES 379

-23.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.84 KES 1,535

68.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.05 KES 785

-39.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$5.11 KES 662

159.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.03 KES 393

6.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$0.78 KES 101

117.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.67 KES 347

-10.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$0.67 KES 87.3

210.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$0.75 KES 97.4

112.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$0.70 KES 91.0

111.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.48 KES 62.0

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.36 KES 176

-1.47%

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

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

$124 ฿4,025

$76.8 KES 9,957

60.92%

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

$13.52 ฿440

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$30.80 KES 3,993

-39.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$38.73 KES 5,021

59.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

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

$703 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$392 KES 50.8K

426.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Malindi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $31.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $151 – making Malindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Malindi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 262% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,892 per month in Phuket and $522 in Malindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,261 in Phuket and $348 in Malindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 94% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Malindi, where all-in costs run around $348, than in Phuket at $1,261. In Malindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Malindi costs $348 versus $1,261 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Malindi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.