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

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

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

Living in Thika costs roughly 63% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 KES 705

$4.48 ฿150

21.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.67 KES 4,998

$45.59 ฿1,525

-15.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 KES 885

$8.76 ฿293

-21.80%

Cappuccino

$2.41 KES 311

$2.97 ฿99.3

-18.86%

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

$0.75 KES 96.6

$0.69 ฿22.96

8.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 65.0

$0.39 ฿13.07

28.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 KES 213

$2.53 ฿84.7

-34.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 257

$3.75 ฿125

-46.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KES 113

$2.15 ฿71.8

-59.53%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$1.82 ฿60.7

-75.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 KES 177

$2.18 ฿73.1

-37.16%

Eggs

$1.35 KES 174

$2.25 ฿75.2

-40.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 KES 1,493

$20.00 ฿669

-42.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 KES 885

$3.63 ฿121

88.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.88 KES 243

$13.56 ฿453

-86.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 KES 391

$3.24 ฿109

-6.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$1.64 ฿54.7

-36.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 KES 273

$2.33 ฿78.0

-9.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 129

$2.07 ฿69.3

-51.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.55 ฿51.8

-30.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$1.46 ฿48.67

-23.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.9

$0.98 ฿32.94

-33.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$0.48 ฿16.13

58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

$4.35 ฿146

-45.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 KES 733

$18.57 ฿621

-69.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 KES 218

$1.86 ฿62.1

-9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$2.65 ฿88.8

-25.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$3.17 ฿106

-50.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 197

$1.03 ฿34.51

48.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

$13.89 ฿465

-78.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 KES 136

$1.34 ฿44.96

-21.64%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-20.89%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-40.48%

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

$33.97 KES 4,391

$123 ฿4,116

-72.39%

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

$16.57 KES 2,142

$13.77 ฿461

20.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.97 KES 5,166

$18.33 ฿613

118.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 KES 793

$8.87 ฿297

-30.89%

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

$203 KES 26.3K

$688 ฿23.0K

-70.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,150 KES 1.1M

$15.8K ฿527.8K

-48.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.27 KES 2,362

$59.3 ฿1,984

-69.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.31 KES 3,142

$34.69 ฿1,160

-29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 KES 8,585

$115 ฿3,853

-42.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 KES 7,190

$83.8 ฿2,802

-33.58%

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)

$613 KES 79.3K

$3,455 ฿115.6K

-82.24%

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 %)

11.5

5.33

115.76%

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

Last update for Thika: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

You'd need roughly $707 in Thika and $1,896 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 $203 in Thika versus $688 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 $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, 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 168% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.