Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens, GA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Athens, GA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,215 per month in Athens, GA vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,460 per month in Athens, GA vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,705 per month in Athens, GA vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Athens, GA costs about 77% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Athens, GA sits 66% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 $14.72

$4.55 ฿153

223.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.2 $78.2

$46.18 ฿1,553

69.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.21 $11.21

$8.84 ฿297

26.81%

Cappuccino

$5.42 $5.42

$3.06 ฿103

77.12%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$0.73 ฿24.40

227.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.40 ฿13.39

310.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$2.43 ฿81.8

187.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.07 $8.07

$3.78 ฿127

113.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.26 ฿76.0

-62.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.81 ฿60.9

67.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.25 ฿75.8

92.00%

Eggs

$3.01 $3.01

$2.25 ฿75.5

33.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.72 $7.72

$19.51 ฿656

-60.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.85 $11.85

$3.65 ฿123

224.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.79 $13.79

$13.05 ฿439

5.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.23 ฿109

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.62 ฿54.4

-15.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.38 ฿80.1

82.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.03 ฿68.1

137.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.53 ฿51.6

79.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.50 ฿50.5

84.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.98 ฿32.91

141.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.52 ฿17.39

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.68 $7.68

$4.44 ฿149

72.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.34 $18.34

$18.32 ฿616

0.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.86 ฿62.7

-6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.68 ฿90.1

71.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.41 ฿47.46

-36.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.09 $32.09

$11.70 ฿393

174.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 $4.55

$3.11 ฿105

46.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.04 ฿35.06

76.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.26 $42.26

$14.11 ฿474

199.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.31 ฿44.10

-41.98%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

7.73%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-27.05%

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

$172 $172

$122 ฿4,118

40.13%

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

$35.69 $35.69

$13.59 ฿457

162.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 $63.9

$18.70 ฿629

241.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.62 $24.62

$60.5 ฿2,034

-59.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$12.86 $12.86

$9.07 ฿305

41.79%

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

$860 $860

$706 ฿23.8K

21.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,367 $9,367

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-40.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 $57.8

$58.6 ฿1,969

-1.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.01 $32.01

$35.36 ฿1,189

-9.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 $79.7

$115 ฿3,883

-30.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.1 $54.1

$83.7 ฿2,816

-35.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,584 $1,584

$626 ฿21.0K

153.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,085 $1,085

$445 ฿15.0K

143.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,757 $2,757

$2,040 ฿68.6K

35.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,147 $2,147

$1,492 ฿50.2K

43.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,384 $2,384

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-31.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,265 $2,265

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-12.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,460 $3,460

$500 ฿16.8K

592.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.47

5.33

21.39%

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

Last update for Athens, GA: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,584 in Athens, GA versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 592% higher in Athens, GA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Athens, GA versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $366 vs $289 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Athens, GA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Athens, GA is pricier by about 77%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,322 per month in Athens, GA and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Athens, GA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Athens, GA and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Athens, GA at $2,215. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Athens, GA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Athens, GA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.