Cost of Living Comparison Between Aliso Viejo, CA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Aliso Viejo, CA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,988 in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,035 in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,083 in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Aliso Viejo, CA is roughly 218% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aliso Viejo, CA is 190% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.95 $24.95

$4.56 ฿150

447.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$32.62 ฿1,072

210.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.14 $14.14

$8.90 ฿293

58.88%

Cappuccino

$6.43 $6.43

$2.80 ฿92.2

129.64%

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

$3.30 $3.30

$0.88 ฿28.93

275.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$0.49 ฿16.08

485.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$2.39 ฿78.5

237.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.20 $12.20

$3.71 ฿122

228.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.79 ฿58.7

-36.31%

White Bread (500g)

$5.44 $5.44

$1.44 ฿47.38

277.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$1.58 ฿52.1

205.70%

Eggs

$5.08 $5.08

$2.13 ฿69.9

138.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.55 $12.55

$19.92 ฿655

-37.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.22 $14.22

$3.43 ฿113

314.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.76 $17.76

$11.33 ฿372

56.75%

Apples (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$2.95 ฿96.9

85.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.72 ฿56.6

3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.32 ฿76.4

86.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$2.08 ฿68.4

208.65%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.47 ฿48.33

151.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.36 ฿44.64

89.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.10 ฿36.12

100.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.57 ฿18.89

291.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 $11.83

$4.27 ฿140

177.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$18.42 ฿605

-19.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.87 ฿61.5

-5.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.19 $3.19

$2.92 ฿96.0

9.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.22 ฿72.9

32.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 $4.48

$3.03 ฿99.6

47.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.07 ฿35.31

97.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.91 $27.91

$3.93 ฿129

610.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.49 ฿49.04

2.01%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

33.93%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-4.34%

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

$212 $212

$103 ฿3,379

105.75%

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

$72.3 $72.3

$10.99 ฿361

557.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$17.51 ฿576

313.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.57 $39.57

$53.5 ฿1,760

-26.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$17.82 $17.82

$7.48 ฿246

138.24%

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

$1,950 $1,950

$557 ฿18.3K

250.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.7K $35.7K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

201.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.2 $71.2

$64.1 ฿2,106

11.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.8 $57.8

$29.07 ฿956

98.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$96.0 ฿3,154

16.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$90.3 ฿2,970

59.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,898 $2,898

$730 ฿24.0K

296.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 $2,490

$500 ฿16.4K

398.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,204 $4,204

$2,090 ฿68.7K

101.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,602 $4,602

$1,209 ฿39.7K

280.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,127 $7,127

$3,596 ฿118.2K

98.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,582 $6,582

$2,512 ฿82.6K

161.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,034 $8,034

$503 ฿16.5K

1496.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

5.57

17.06%

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

Last update for Aliso Viejo, CA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,898 in Aliso Viejo, CA and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aliso Viejo, CA pays 1496% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $101 in Aliso Viejo, CA vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $452 vs $273 per month, with Phuket 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

Aliso Viejo, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aliso Viejo, CA and Phuket differ by about 218% in total monthly costs ($3,988 vs $1,253 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1496% higher in Aliso Viejo, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,898 in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Aliso Viejo, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,988 per month in Aliso Viejo, CA versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 218% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $3,988 in Aliso Viejo, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Aliso Viejo, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Aliso Viejo, CA 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 218% less than in Aliso Viejo, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.