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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $364 in Malindi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $596 in Malindi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $829 in Malindi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 247% more than Malindi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Malindi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Malindi 73% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$2.11 KES 272

112.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,522

$31.20 KES 4,033

46.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.1

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

$0.69 ฿22.92

$1.53 KES 198

-54.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.05

$0.89 KES 115

-56.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$3.54 KES 457

-28.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$3.40 KES 439

10.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.98 KES 127

119.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.0

$1.26 KES 163

73.02%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.1

$2.91 KES 376

-22.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿668

$11.44 KES 1,479

74.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.05 KES 781

-40.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$5.15 KES 665

163.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.05 KES 395

6.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$0.76 KES 97.9

115.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.9

$2.64 KES 341

-11.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.2

$0.71 KES 91.3

191.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$0.75 KES 96.4

106.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.58

$0.71 KES 92.2

105.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.88

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.11

$0.52 KES 67.4

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$7.65 KES 989

142.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.7

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.45

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿464

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.88

$1.37 KES 177

-2.19%

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

$27.8K ฿927.9K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

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

$123 ฿4,109

$78.4 KES 10.1K

56.91%

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

$13.77 ฿460

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿612

$31.23 KES 4,037

-41.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,026

$38.06 KES 4,919

59.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

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

$688 ฿23.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,980

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,158

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,846

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,797

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.9K

$382 KES 49.3K

432.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Malindi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $31.00 in Malindi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $166 – 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 247% more than Malindi, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,896 per month in Phuket and $546 in Malindi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,264 in Phuket and $364 in Malindi. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 76% 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 $364, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $364 versus $1,264 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.