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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,383 in Arlington, TX versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,566 in Arlington, TX versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,748 in Arlington, TX versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Arlington, TX is roughly 90% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arlington, TX is 73% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 $20.13

$4.56 ฿150

341.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.0 $54.0

$32.62 ฿1,073

65.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 $9.98

$8.90 ฿293

12.13%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$2.80 ฿92.2

95.36%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$0.88 ฿28.94

195.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.49 ฿16.08

308.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.39 ฿78.5

112.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.58 $6.58

$3.71 ฿122

77.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.79 ฿58.8

-54.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.44 ฿47.40

165.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$1.58 ฿52.1

222.15%

Eggs

$2.59 $2.59

$2.13 ฿69.9

21.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.79 $10.79

$19.92 ฿655

-45.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$3.43 ฿113

271.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$11.33 ฿372

65.23%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$2.95 ฿97.0

50.85%

Banana (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.72 ฿56.6

55.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$2.32 ฿76.5

125.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.08 ฿68.4

90.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.47 ฿48.34

76.19%

Onion (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.36 ฿44.65

129.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.10 ฿36.13

73.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.57 ฿18.89

243.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.43 $9.43

$4.27 ฿140

120.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.01 $12.01

$18.42 ฿606

-34.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.87 ฿61.5

12.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.92 ฿96.1

15.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.94 $5.94

$2.22 ฿73.0

167.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.26 $39.26

$22.90 ฿753

71.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.03 ฿99.6

-3.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.07 ฿35.32

65.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.91 $14.91

$3.93 ฿129

279.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.49 ฿49.06

-38.26%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

31.28%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-7.49%

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

$222 $222

$103 ฿3,380

115.69%

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

$65.9 $65.9

$10.99 ฿361

499.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.0 $65.0

$17.51 ฿576

271.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.23 $41.23

$53.5 ฿1,760

-22.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$10.18 $10.18

$7.48 ฿246

36.10%

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

$1,922 $1,922

$557 ฿18.3K

245.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K $27.6K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

133.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 $59.3

$64.1 ฿2,107

-7.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.3 $50.3

$29.07 ฿956

73.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 $81.2

$96.0 ฿3,155

-15.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 $99.0

$90.3 ฿2,970

9.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,534 $1,534

$730 ฿24.0K

110.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,082 $1,082

$500 ฿16.4K

116.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 $2,440

$2,090 ฿68.7K

16.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,055 $2,055

$1,209 ฿39.8K

69.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,224 $2,224

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-38.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,181 $2,181

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-13.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,708 $3,708

$503 ฿16.6K

636.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.57

9.16%

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

Last update for Arlington, TX: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,534 in Arlington, TX and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, TX pays 637% 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: $54.0 in Arlington, TX vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 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

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

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 90% lower than in Arlington, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 637% higher in Arlington, TX, 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: $1,534 in Arlington, TX versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,383 per month in Arlington, TX versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 71% less than in Arlington, TX. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,383 in Arlington, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Arlington, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,253 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Arlington, TX 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 90% less than in Arlington, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.