Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, KY and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Arlington, KY and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,658 in Arlington, KY versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,880 in Arlington, KY versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,102 in Arlington, KY versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Arlington, KY is roughly 109% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arlington, KY is 98% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.08 $18.08

$4.66 ฿150

287.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$46.44 ฿1,496

73.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 $9.87

$8.68 ฿280

13.71%

Cappuccino

$6.04 $6.04

$2.95 ฿95.0

104.75%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$0.70 ฿22.52

321.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$0.39 ฿12.70

515.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.32 $6.32

$2.53 ฿81.6

149.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.78 ฿122

112.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$2.22 ฿71.5

-68.02%

White Bread (500g)

$4.14 $4.14

$1.80 ฿57.8

130.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.19 ฿70.4

105.48%

Eggs

$3.77 $3.77

$2.31 ฿74.5

63.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.03 $12.03

$19.34 ฿623

-37.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.38 $15.38

$3.77 ฿121

307.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.11 $16.11

$13.22 ฿426

21.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.33 ฿107

30.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.65 ฿53.1

-11.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.29 ฿73.7

109.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$1.99 ฿64.1

162.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.53 ฿49.24

32.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.51 ฿48.77

44.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.03 ฿33.12

97.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.51 ฿16.57

198.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.98 $8.98

$4.41 ฿142

103.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.19 $15.19

$19.41 ฿625

-21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.80 ฿58.0

12.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.68 ฿86.4

60.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.43 ฿46.11

37.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.04 ฿97.9

66.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.04 ฿33.37

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.29 $21.29

$13.68 ฿441

55.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.30 ฿41.85

-38.46%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

15.62%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-18.37%

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

$203 $203

$123 ฿3,962

64.76%

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

$70.2 $70.2

$13.82 ฿445

408.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.7 $72.7

$18.86 ฿608

285.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.79 $43.79

$61.2 ฿1,970

-28.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$8.87 ฿286

69.67%

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

$1,263 $1,263

$696 ฿22.4K

81.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.8K $30.8K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

91.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 $60.8

$59.3 ฿1,910

2.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.01 $49.01

$34.85 ฿1,123

40.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

$113 ฿3,646

-19.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$85.1 ฿2,740

57.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 $1,600

$615 ฿19.8K

159.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 $1,329

$448 ฿14.4K

196.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,653 $2,653

$2,085 ฿67.2K

27.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,248 $2,248

$1,496 ฿48.2K

50.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,364 $2,364

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-36.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,633 $2,633

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-1.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,930 $5,930

$534 ฿17.2K

1011.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

5.33

22.33%

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

Last update for Arlington, KY: April 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,600 in Arlington, KY and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, KY pays 1011% 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: $80 in Arlington, KY vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $405 vs $291 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

Arlington, KY vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arlington, KY and Phuket differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($2,658 vs $1,270 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Arlington, KY pays 1011% more on average, 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: $1,600 in Arlington, KY versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Arlington, KY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,658 per month in Arlington, KY versus $1,270 in Phuket – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,658 in Arlington, KY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Arlington, KY. 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, Arlington, KY 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 109% less than in Arlington, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.