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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $472 in Thika.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $791 in Thika.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,110 in Thika.

Living in Phuket is roughly 168% more expensive than in Thika, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Thika 65% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$5.46 KES 705

-17.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$38.67 KES 4,998

17.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$6.85 KES 885

27.88%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$2.41 KES 311

23.24%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.75 KES 96.6

-8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.50 KES 65.0

-22.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

$1.65 KES 213

53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$1.99 KES 257

88.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$0.87 KES 113

147.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$0.44 KES 56.9

313.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$1.37 KES 177

59.12%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$1.35 KES 174

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$11.55 KES 1,493

73.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$6.85 KES 885

-47.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$1.88 KES 243

621.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$3.02 KES 391

7.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$1.04 KES 134

57.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$2.11 KES 273

10.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$1.00 KES 129

107.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.07 KES 138

44.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$1.11 KES 144

31.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$0.65 KES 83.9

50.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.76 KES 98.1

-36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$2.37 KES 306

83.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

$5.67 KES 733

227.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

$1.69 KES 218

10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

$1.98 KES 256

33.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.57 KES 203

101.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$1.53 KES 197

-32.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$2.97 KES 384

367.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$1.05 KES 136

27.62%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$22.0K KES 2.8M

26.40%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

68.01%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$33.97 KES 4,391

262.23%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$16.57 KES 2,142

-16.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$39.97 KES 5,166

-54.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$6.13 KES 793

44.70%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$203 KES 26.3K

238.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$8,150 KES 1.1M

93.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$18.27 KES 2,362

224.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$24.31 KES 3,142

42.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$66.4 KES 8,585

73.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$55.6 KES 7,190

50.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

$613 KES 79.3K

463.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Thika: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Thika for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $174 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 168% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $707 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 $688 in Phuket versus $203 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 $39.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $472 in Thika versus $1,264 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 168% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.