Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Thika Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Thika

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $480 in Thika.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $809 in Thika.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,137 in Thika.

Living in Phuket is roughly 163% more expensive than Thika, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Thika 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$5.53 KES 717

-17.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$38.49 KES 4,991

21.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.64 KES 861

27.56%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.38 KES 308

27.31%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.75 KES 97.2

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.54 KES 70.3

-31.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.67 KES 217

49.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$1.99 KES 258

83.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$0.88 KES 114

147.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$0.47 KES 61.5

304.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.36 KES 177

61.76%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$1.36 KES 176

63.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$11.66 KES 1,512

71.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$6.55 KES 849

-44.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$1.92 KES 249

590.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$3.13 KES 406

3.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.07 KES 139

58.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$2.09 KES 271

14.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.05 KES 136

98.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.07 KES 139

48.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.12 KES 146

32.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$0.64 KES 83.0

60.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.76 KES 98.9

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$2.36 KES 306

80.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$5.90 KES 765

218.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.73 KES 224

1.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$1.98 KES 257

39.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.59 KES 206

97.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.50 KES 195

-30.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$2.83 KES 367

386.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.06 KES 138

26.42%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$21.5K KES 2.8M

28.81%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$19.8K KES 2.6M

70.72%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$34.61 KES 4,488

257.09%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$17.09 KES 2,216

-20.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$39.46 KES 5,116

-52.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$6.31 KES 819

44.85%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$205 KES 26.6K

242.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$8,182 KES 1.1M

93.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$18.51 KES 2,400

221.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$24.40 KES 3,164

43.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$66.5 KES 8,626

73.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$56.5 KES 7,328

48.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$612 KES 79.3K

495.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.5

-53.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Thika: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Thika for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $175 per month, with Thika 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 Thika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thika is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 163% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $721 in Thika to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $205 in Thika. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Thika – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $480 in Thika versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Thika but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Thika the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Thika 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 Thika 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 Thika gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.