Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nairobi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Nairobi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $765 in Nairobi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,299 in Nairobi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $1,832 in Nairobi, rent included.

Phuket costs about 63% more than Nairobi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Nairobi are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Nairobi 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$5.55 KES 717

-18.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$38.48 KES 4,973

20.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$6.64 KES 858

33.13%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.49 KES 322

22.89%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.70 KES 91.1

4.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.50 KES 65.0

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.36 KES 306

2.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.83 KES 366

33.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$0.86 KES 111

162.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.56 KES 72.6

223.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.60 KES 207

40.62%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.68 KES 216

33.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$11.71 KES 1,513

66.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.91 KES 894

-47.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$5.64 KES 729

131.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$3.08 KES 398

4.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.07 KES 139

51.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.06 KES 266

15.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.04 KES 135

95.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.07 KES 138

42.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.15 KES 149

30.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.65 KES 84.5

50.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.75 KES 96.6

-30.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.16 KES 409

40.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$11.79 KES 1,524

55.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.21 KES 285

-15.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.83 KES 365

-5.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.75 KES 97.4

88.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$30.90 KES 3,993

-62.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.53 KES 198

103.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$1.50 KES 193

-30.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.95 KES 382

378.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.53 KES 198

-14.38%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$22.1K KES 2.9M

26.00%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$19.8K KES 2.6M

68.07%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$33.74 KES 4,360

262.89%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$16.72 KES 2,160

-18.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$38.94 KES 5,032

-51.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$43.13 KES 5,574

40.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$20.62 KES 2,665

-17.65%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.36 KES 822

42.61%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$205 KES 26.5K

244.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$8,113 KES 1.0M

94.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$18.49 KES 2,389

216.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$23.69 KES 3,062

49.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$64.3 KES 8,310

79.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$55.6 KES 7,185

50.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$438 KES 56.7K

42.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$186 KES 24.1K

138.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$1,142 KES 147.5K

78.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$432 KES 55.8K

245.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,526 KES 197.2K

128.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$909 KES 117.5K

183.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$431 KES 55.7K

15.96%

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 12, 2026

Last update for Nairobi: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $438 in Nairobi. 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 16% 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 $38.00 in Nairobi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $207 – making Nairobi 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 Nairobi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 63% more than Nairobi, 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 $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,147 in Nairobi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 164% less in Nairobi. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $706 per month in Phuket and $205 in Nairobi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nairobi, where all-in costs run around $765, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Nairobi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Nairobi costs $765 versus $1,250 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 Nairobi. 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.