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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,370 in Arlington, WA versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,537 in Arlington, WA versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,705 in Arlington, WA versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Arlington, WA is roughly 92% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Arlington, WA is 77% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.34 $16.34

$4.63 ฿151

252.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 $72.4

$46.84 ฿1,532

54.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.42 $12.42

$8.84 ฿289

40.50%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$3.00 ฿98.0

74.00%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$0.74 ฿24.25

297.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.37 ฿11.95

454.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.44 ฿79.8

109.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.97 $11.97

$3.61 ฿118

231.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.26 ฿73.9

-52.65%

White Bread (500g)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.84 ฿60.1

122.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.24 ฿73.4

115.62%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$2.32 ฿75.7

112.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.68 $9.68

$19.67 ฿643

-50.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.89 $7.89

$3.65 ฿119

116.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.23 $15.23

$13.10 ฿428

16.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.39 ฿111

-16.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.64 ฿53.7

3.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.41 ฿79.0

111.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.03 ฿66.4

140.39%

Potato (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.56 ฿50.9

116.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.50 ฿48.94

92.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.02 ฿33.50

97.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$0.49 ฿16.00

508.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.09 $11.09

$4.45 ฿145

149.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$18.88 ฿617

-21.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.78 ฿58.1

-4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.37 $6.37

$2.75 ฿90.1

131.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.40 ฿45.81

45.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.12 ฿102

-16.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.00 ฿32.67

-26.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.88 $29.88

$14.09 ฿461

112.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.35 ฿44.19

-21.48%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

34.99%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-27.12%

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

$214 $214

$125 ฿4,087

71.40%

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

$49.86 $49.86

$13.57 ฿444

267.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.68 $44.68

$18.52 ฿606

141.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.63 $33.63

$61.5 ฿2,010

-45.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$14.77 $14.77

$9.19 ฿300

60.72%

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

$2,078 $2,078

$698 ฿22.8K

197.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

99.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.28 $38.28

$57.8 ฿1,889

-33.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.43 $39.43

$35.24 ฿1,152

11.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.9 $72.9

$113 ฿3,699

-35.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$86.4 ฿2,825

17.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 $1,291

$616 ฿20.1K

109.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 $1,218

$446 ฿14.6K

173.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$2,048 ฿67.0K

19.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,030 $2,030

$1,492 ฿48.8K

36.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,762 $5,762

$524 ฿17.1K

1000.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

5.33

-9.01%

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

Last update for Arlington, WA: April 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,291 in Arlington, WA and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arlington, WA pays 1000% 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: $72.0 in Arlington, WA vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 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

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

Arlington, WA and Phuket differ by about 92% in total monthly costs ($2,370 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Arlington, WA pays 1000% 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: $1,291 in Arlington, WA versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Arlington, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,370 per month in Arlington, WA versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 92% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,370 in Arlington, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Arlington, WA. 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, WA 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 92% less than in Arlington, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.