Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, MA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, MA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,936 in Amherst, MA versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,730 in Amherst, MA versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,524 in Amherst, MA versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Amherst, MA is roughly 135% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Amherst, MA is 120% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.74 $19.74

$4.55 ฿153

333.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 $69.2

$46.18 ฿1,554

49.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 $9.44

$8.84 ฿298

6.79%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$3.06 ฿103

75.49%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$0.73 ฿24.42

320.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$0.40 ฿13.40

502.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 $8.13

$2.43 ฿81.8

234.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.33 $7.33

$3.78 ฿127

93.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$2.26 ฿76.0

-41.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.81 ฿60.9

98.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.25 ฿75.8

-10.22%

Eggs

$4.53 $4.53

$2.25 ฿75.6

101.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.67 $13.67

$19.51 ฿656

-29.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.65 ฿123

38.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.44 $18.44

$13.05 ฿439

41.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$3.23 ฿109

72.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.62 ฿54.4

-6.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.38 ฿80.2

44.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.03 ฿68.2

147.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.53 ฿51.6

-35.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.50 ฿50.5

-34.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.98 ฿32.93

162.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.52 ฿17.40

273.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.40 $10.40

$4.44 ฿149

134.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.41 $13.41

$18.32 ฿616

-26.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.86 ฿62.7

58.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.68 ฿90.2

29.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.41 ฿47.49

43.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 $27.67

$11.70 ฿394

136.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.11 ฿105

-14.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.04 ฿35.08

37.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.48 $28.48

$14.11 ฿475

101.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.31 ฿44.13

-28.24%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

9.64%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-25.17%

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

$193 $193

$122 ฿4,120

57.95%

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

$57.4 $57.4

$13.59 ฿457

322.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 $78.2

$18.70 ฿629

318.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$121 $121

$60.5 ฿2,035

100.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.16 $7.16

$16.98 ฿572

-57.83%

Cinema Ticket

$10.78 $10.78

$9.07 ฿305

18.85%

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

$2,844 $2,844

$706 ฿23.8K

302.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.1K $27.1K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

71.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.55 $39.55

$58.6 ฿1,970

-32.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.62 $44.62

$35.36 ฿1,190

26.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$115 ฿3,885

-25.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$83.7 ฿2,818

72.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,799 $1,799

$626 ฿21.1K

187.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,629 $1,629

$445 ฿15.0K

265.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,865 $4,865

$2,040 ฿68.7K

138.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 $3,446

$1,492 ฿50.2K

130.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,072 $4,072

$3,483 ฿117.2K

16.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,982 $3,982

$2,577 ฿86.7K

54.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,775 $4,775

$500 ฿16.8K

855.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.22

5.33

16.70%

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

Last update for Amherst, MA: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,799 in Amherst, MA and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amherst, MA pays 855% 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: $69.0 in Amherst, MA vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $360 vs $289 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

Amherst, MA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 135% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 855% higher in Amherst, MA, 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: $1,799 in Amherst, MA versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,844 in Amherst, MA versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Amherst, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,936 in Amherst, MA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Amherst, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Amherst, MA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Amherst, MA 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 135% less than in Amherst, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.