Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Molo Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Molo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $544 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $882 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,220 in Molo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 126% more expensive than in Molo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Molo 60% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$4.55 KES 589

-3.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$35.29 KES 4,566

-8.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$6.03 KES 781

48.09%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$2.75 KES 356

5.45%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$0.58 KES 75.6

51.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.64 KES 82.5

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$2.27 KES 293

3.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.65 KES 343

40.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$0.94 KES 122

98.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$0.58 KES 74.4

153.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.86 KES 241

-16.67%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$1.70 KES 220

23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$10.67 KES 1,380

83.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.33 KES 819

-45.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$6.11 KES 791

86.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$3.31 KES 428

-9.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.07 KES 138

57.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$2.06 KES 267

7.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$1.13 KES 146

91.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.14 KES 148

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$1.09 KES 141

22.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$0.67 KES 87.3

68.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.74 KES 95.8

-25.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.44 KES 445

23.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$11.61 KES 1,503

64.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$2.32 KES 300

-23.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$2.74 KES 354

1.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.52 KES 197

99.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$1.51 KES 195

-32.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$2.92 KES 378

33.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.57 KES 204

-5.10%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$21.7K KES 2.8M

22.65%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$20.5K KES 2.7M

31.92%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$62.5 KES 8,082

64.06%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$15.75 KES 2,038

-28.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$35.67 KES 4,616

-51.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$7.90 KES 1,022

-2.66%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$246 KES 31.8K

127.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$11.4K KES 1.5M

0.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$27.81 KES 3,599

126.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$28.43 KES 3,679

3.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$68.9 KES 8,909

42.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$58.0 KES 7,498

52.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$386 KES 49.9K

28.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

14.71

-62.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Molo: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 28% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $35.00 in Molo. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $206, with Molo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Molo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 126% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 28% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $544 in Molo – a 126% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $544 in Molo versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Molo but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Molo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Molo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Molo 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 Molo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.