Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mombasa Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Mombasa

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $618 in Mombasa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,060 in Mombasa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,502 in Mombasa, rent included.

Phuket costs about 102% more than Mombasa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Mombasa are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Mombasa 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$2.35 KES 304

93.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,550

$19.18 KES 2,478

140.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$8.80 KES 1,137

0.45%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$3.18 KES 411

-3.77%

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

$0.73 ฿24.36

$0.48 KES 62.4

52.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.37

$0.48 KES 61.7

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.6

$1.96 KES 253

23.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.82 KES 364

34.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿75.8

$0.82 KES 106

175.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.8

$0.49 KES 63.9

269.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$1.40 KES 180

60.71%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.4

$1.79 KES 231

25.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿655

$9.71 KES 1,255

100.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿122

$5.82 KES 752

-37.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿438

$5.22 KES 675

150.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.79 KES 231

80.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$0.91 KES 117

78.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.0

$1.52 KES 197

56.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.0

$0.79 KES 102

156.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$0.68 KES 87.5

125.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$1.08 KES 139

38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.85

$0.66 KES 85.4

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.36

$0.60 KES 78.0

-13.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.30 KES 427

34.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿615

$7.95 KES 1,027

130.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$1.88 KES 242

-1.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.0

$2.77 KES 358

-3.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.37

$0.75 KES 96.4

88.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$35.08 KES 4,532

-66.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿104

$3.05 KES 394

1.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.00

$1.94 KES 251

-46.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$4.58 KES 592

208.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.02

$1.60 KES 206

-18.13%

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

$27.8K ฿933.8K

$12.0K KES 1.5M

131.99%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$11.8K KES 1.5M

181.59%

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

$122 ฿4,110

$44.61 KES 5,764

174.47%

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

$13.59 ฿456

$14.45 KES 1,867

-5.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿628

$43.55 KES 5,626

-57.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,031

$18.09 KES 2,337

234.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

$19.19 KES 2,480

-11.52%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$4.71 KES 609

92.57%

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

$706 ฿23.7K

$87.7 KES 11.3K

705.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿530.5K

$5,406 KES 698.5K

192.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,965

$13.03 KES 1,684

349.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,187

$13.80 KES 1,784

156.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,876

$23.61 KES 3,050

389.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,811

$45.93 KES 5,934

82.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$181 KES 23.4K

245.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿14.9K

$118 KES 15.3K

276.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.5K

$590 KES 76.3K

245.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.1K

$462 KES 59.7K

222.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿116.9K

$5,440 KES 702.8K

-35.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.5K

$3,820 KES 493.6K

-32.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$321 KES 41.5K

55.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-59.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Mombasa: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $181 in Mombasa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 56% higher in Phuket, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $19.00 in Mombasa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $169 – making Mombasa 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 Mombasa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,250 in Phuket, $618 in Mombasa – roughly 102% apart. Phuket costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $928 in Mombasa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mombasa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $19.00 in Mombasa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,250 in Phuket and $618 in Mombasa. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mombasa, where all-in costs run around $618, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Mombasa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $618 in Mombasa to $1,250 in Phuket. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Mombasa. 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.