Cost of Living Comparison Between Auburn, AL and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Auburn, AL and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,919 in Auburn, AL versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,895 in Auburn, AL versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,871 in Auburn, AL versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Auburn, AL is roughly 52% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Auburn, AL is 43% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.07 $12.07

$4.70 ฿153

156.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 $59.4

$45.37 ฿1,482

30.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.10 $10.10

$8.43 ฿275

19.81%

Cappuccino

$4.93 $4.93

$2.93 ฿95.6

68.26%

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

$2.41 $2.41

$0.69 ฿22.40

249.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.37 ฿11.99

424.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.41 ฿78.6

107.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 $6.07

$3.72 ฿122

63.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.23 ฿72.9

-56.50%

White Bread (500g)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.83 ฿59.8

85.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.17 ฿70.8

22.12%

Eggs

$4.31 $4.31

$2.21 ฿72.3

95.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.58 $10.58

$19.74 ฿645

-46.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.25 $7.25

$3.63 ฿119

99.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.27 $9.27

$13.53 ฿442

-31.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$3.28 ฿107

77.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.61 ฿52.6

-21.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.41 ฿78.6

51.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.08 ฿68.1

114.90%

Potato (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$1.53 ฿49.93

132.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.48 ฿48.36

54.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.99 ฿32.29

71.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 $1.57

$0.51 ฿16.67

207.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.02 $5.02

$4.41 ฿144

13.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.30 $9.30

$19.38 ฿633

-52.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.78 ฿58.1

-3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$2.71 ฿88.6

2.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.37 ฿44.79

42.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.97 $4.97

$3.02 ฿98.6

64.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$0.99 ฿32.48

74.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.85 $17.85

$14.10 ฿461

26.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.36 ฿44.51

-43.38%

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

$35.5K $35.5K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

25.88%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-20.28%

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

$183 $183

$122 ฿3,975

50.25%

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

$40.46 $40.46

$13.57 ฿443

198.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 $56.7

$18.31 ฿598

209.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.8 $64.8

$60.2 ฿1,967

7.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$9.21 $9.21

$8.69 ฿284

5.98%

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

$988 $988

$693 ฿22.6K

42.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,239 $8,239

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-47.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.18 $38.18

$59.5 ฿1,944

-35.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.26 $36.26

$34.77 ฿1,136

4.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 $72.7

$115 ฿3,743

-36.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 $128

$83.3 ฿2,720

53.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$916 $916

$613 ฿20.0K

49.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$826 $826

$437 ฿14.3K

89.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,002 $2,002

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-4.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 $1,530

$1,509 ฿49.3K

1.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,161 $2,161

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-42.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,076 $2,076

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-20.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,220 $4,220

$508 ฿16.6K

730.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.33

22.89%

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

Last update for Auburn, AL: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $916 in Auburn, AL and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Auburn, AL pays 731% 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: $59.0 in Auburn, AL vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $314 vs $293 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

Auburn, AL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Auburn, AL and Phuket differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($1,919 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Auburn, AL pays 731% 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: $916 in Auburn, AL versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $988 in Auburn, AL versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $59.0 in Auburn, AL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,919 in Auburn, AL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Auburn, AL. 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, Auburn, AL 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 52% less than in Auburn, AL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.