😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,251 in Alpharetta, GA versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,497 in Alpharetta, GA versus $2,255 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,742 in Alpharetta, GA versus $3,279 in Phuket.
😐Living in Alpharetta, GA is roughly 164% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Alpharetta, GA is 143% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Alpharetta, GA
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.42$22.42
$4.63฿151
384.23%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.7$60.7
$46.84฿1,523
29.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76$8.76
$8.84฿287
-0.90%
Cappuccino
$5.09$5.09
$3.00฿97.4
69.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.53$2.53
$0.74฿24.11
241.89%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03$2.03
$0.37฿11.88
448.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.42$6.42
$2.44฿79.3
163.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.20$8.20
$3.61฿117
127.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Alpharetta, GA
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.98$0.98
$2.26฿73.5
-56.64%
White Bread(500g)
$3.83$3.83
$1.84฿59.8
108.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.78$4.78
$2.24฿73.0
113.39%
Eggs
$4.44$4.44
$2.32฿75.3
91.38%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.29$13.29
$19.67฿639
-32.44%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.84$9.84
$3.65฿119
169.59%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.18$20.18
$13.10฿426
54.05%
Apples(1kg)
$5.09$5.09
$3.39฿110
50.15%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69$1.69
$1.64฿53.4
3.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.60$4.60
$2.41฿78.5
90.87%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.91$3.91
$2.03฿66.0
92.61%
Potato(1kg)
$3.76$3.76
$1.56฿50.6
141.03%
Onion(1kg)
$3.47$3.47
$1.50฿48.66
131.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.40$2.40
$1.02฿33.30
135.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.49$2.49
$0.49฿15.91
408.16%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.57$12.57
$4.45฿145
182.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.15$15.15
$18.88฿614
-19.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78$1.78
$1.78฿57.7
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56$1.56
$2.75฿89.5
-43.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Alpharetta, GA
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.79$2.79
$1.40฿45.54
99.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$96.5$96.5
$11.48฿373
740.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.08$3.08
$3.12฿101
-1.28%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.35$2.35
$1.00฿32.48
135.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$40.72$40.72
$14.09฿458
189.00%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.87$0.87
$1.35฿43.93
-35.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.8K$31.8K
$27.2K฿883.7K
16.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.2K$27.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-17.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Alpharetta, GA
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$284$284
$125฿4,063
127.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$54.9$54.9
$13.57฿441
304.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.4$67.4
$18.52฿602
263.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Alpharetta, GA
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.55$40.55
$61.5฿1,999
-34.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.21$15.21
$16.84฿547
-9.68%
Cinema Ticket
$16.46$16.46
$9.19฿299
79.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Alpharetta, GA
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,337$1,337
$698฿22.7K
91.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$29.7K$29.7K
$15.6K฿506.9K
90.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Alpharetta, GA
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$70.8$70.8
$57.8฿1,878
22.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.32$39.32
$35.24฿1,146
11.58%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103$103
$113฿3,677
-8.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$131$131
$86.4฿2,808
51.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Alpharetta, GA
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,821$1,821
$616฿20.0K
195.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,745$1,745
$446฿14.5K
291.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,350$3,350
$2,048฿66.6K
63.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,668$2,668
$1,492฿48.5K
78.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$7,574$7,574
$3,779฿122.8K
100.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$5,225$5,225
$2,649฿86.1K
97.28%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Alpharetta, GA
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$6,328$6,328
$524฿17.0K
1108.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.56
5.33
23.08%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Alpharetta, GA: April 25, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,821 in Alpharetta, GA and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Alpharetta, GA pays 1108% 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: $61.0 in Alpharetta, GA vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 vs $292 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
Alpharetta, GA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Alpharetta, GA?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 164% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Alpharetta, GA or Phuket?
Alpharetta, GA pays 1108% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Alpharetta, GA and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,821 in Alpharetta, GA versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 741% less than in Alpharetta, GA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,337 in Alpharetta, GA versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Alpharetta, GA or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,251 in Alpharetta, GA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Alpharetta, GA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Alpharetta, GA or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Alpharetta, GA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Alpharetta, GA or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Alpharetta, GA 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 164% less than in Alpharetta, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Alpharetta, GA vs other spots: cost of living compared