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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $509 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $843 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,176 in Molo.

Living in Phuket is roughly 148% more expensive than in Molo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Molo 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$5.51 KES 713

-18.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$39.20 KES 5,067

16.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$6.87 KES 888

27.51%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$2.45 KES 316

21.22%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$0.72 KES 92.7

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$0.54 KES 69.5

-27.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$2.27 KES 294

11.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.87 KES 370

30.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$0.92 KES 119

133.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.57 KES 73.8

219.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.59 KES 206

37.11%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$1.68 KES 217

33.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$11.53 KES 1,490

73.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.85 KES 885

-47.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$5.46 KES 706

148.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$3.14 KES 406

3.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.07 KES 138

53.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$2.14 KES 276

8.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$1.06 KES 137

95.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.03 KES 133

50.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.12 KES 145

30.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.65 KES 83.4

50.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$0.81 KES 105

-40.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$3.04 KES 393

43.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$11.71 KES 1,514

58.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$2.22 KES 287

-16.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$2.68 KES 346

-1.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.50 KES 194

111.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$1.51 KES 195

-31.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$2.83 KES 366

390.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.59 KES 206

-15.72%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$21.7K KES 2.8M

28.15%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

65.27%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$34.40 KES 4,447

257.70%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$17.11 KES 2,211

-19.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$39.29 KES 5,078

-53.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$6.28 KES 812

41.24%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$202 KES 26.1K

241.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$7,932 KES 1.0M

98.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$18.28 KES 2,363

224.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$24.43 KES 3,157

42.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$66.2 KES 8,560

73.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$57.0 KES 7,361

47.08%

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 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$390 KES 50.4K

26.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

14.84

-64.08%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Molo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 27% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Molo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $207 per month, with Molo 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 Molo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 148% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% 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 41% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,264 per month in Phuket versus $509 in Molo – a 148% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $509 in Molo versus $1,264 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 148% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.