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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Thika costs roughly 62% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.53 KES 717

$4.56 ฿149

21.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.49 KES 4,991

$46.63 ฿1,519

-17.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.64 KES 861

$8.47 ฿276

-21.61%

Cappuccino

$2.38 KES 308

$3.03 ฿98.6

-21.45%

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

$0.75 KES 97.2

$0.69 ฿22.45

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.54 KES 70.3

$0.37 ฿11.92

45.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KES 217

$2.49 ฿81.0

-32.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 258

$3.66 ฿119

-45.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 KES 114

$2.18 ฿71.0

-59.63%

White Bread (500g)

$0.47 KES 61.5

$1.90 ฿62.0

-75.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.36 KES 177

$2.20 ฿71.6

-38.18%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.22 ฿72.4

-38.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 KES 1,512

$19.99 ฿651

-41.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.55 KES 849

$3.66 ฿119

78.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.92 KES 249

$13.25 ฿432

-85.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.13 KES 406

$3.23 ฿105

-3.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.70 ฿55.3

-37.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KES 271

$2.39 ฿78.0

-12.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.05 KES 136

$2.08 ฿67.7

-49.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.59 ฿51.8

-32.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 KES 146

$1.48 ฿48.31

-24.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 KES 83.0

$1.03 ฿33.54

-37.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.9

$0.52 ฿16.83

46.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.36 KES 306

$4.25 ฿138

-44.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.90 KES 765

$18.79 ฿612

-68.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 KES 224

$1.76 ฿57.2

-1.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 257

$2.76 ฿89.8

-28.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.59 KES 206

$3.14 ฿102

-49.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 KES 195

$1.04 ฿33.74

44.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.83 KES 367

$13.77 ฿448

-79.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 KES 138

$1.34 ฿43.79

-20.90%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-22.36%

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

$19.8K KES 2.6M

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-41.42%

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

$34.61 KES 4,488

$124 ฿4,025

-72.00%

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

$17.09 KES 2,216

$13.52 ฿440

26.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.46 KES 5,116

$18.69 ฿609

111.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 KES 819

$9.14 ฿298

-30.96%

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

$205 KES 26.6K

$703 ฿22.9K

-70.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,182 KES 1.1M

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-48.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.51 KES 2,400

$59.5 ฿1,937

-68.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.40 KES 3,164

$35.07 ฿1,142

-30.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 KES 8,626

$115 ฿3,754

-42.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.5 KES 7,328

$84.1 ฿2,737

-32.75%

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)

$612 KES 79.3K

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-83.22%

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 %)

11.5

5.33

115.76%

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

Last update for Thika: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $38.00 in Thika vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $175 vs $293 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

Thika vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $721 in Thika and $1,892 in Phuket 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 $205 in Thika versus $703 in Phuket. 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, Thika and Phuket 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.