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: $1,935 in Auburn, AL versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,836 in Auburn, AL versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,736 in Auburn, AL versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Auburn, AL is roughly 54% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Auburn, AL is 41% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.94 $12.94

$4.56 ฿150

183.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.01 $47.01

$32.62 ฿1,072

44.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.32 $10.32

$8.90 ฿293

15.96%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$2.80 ฿92.2

81.79%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$0.88 ฿28.93

172.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.49 ฿16.08

291.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.39 ฿78.5

113.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.71 ฿122

58.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.79 ฿58.7

-50.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.44 ฿47.38

102.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.58 ฿52.1

68.99%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$2.13 ฿69.9

91.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.32 $9.32

$19.92 ฿655

-53.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.44 $6.44

$3.43 ฿113

87.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 $10.56

$11.33 ฿372

-6.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.95 ฿96.9

26.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.72 ฿56.6

-30.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.32 ฿76.4

3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.08 ฿68.4

42.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.47 ฿48.33

25.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.36 ฿44.64

61.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.10 ฿36.12

84.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.57 ฿18.89

217.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.81 $6.81

$4.27 ฿140

59.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.30 $12.30

$18.42 ฿605

-33.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.87 ฿61.5

-10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.92 ฿96.0

11.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 $4.19

$3.03 ฿99.6

38.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.07 ฿35.31

81.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.19 $32.19

$3.93 ฿129

719.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.49 ฿49.04

-47.65%

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

$34.6K $34.6K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

27.51%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-9.18%

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

$171 $171

$103 ฿3,379

66.14%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$10.99 ฿361

453.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 $63.9

$17.51 ฿576

264.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 $65.6

$53.5 ฿1,760

22.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$11.94 $11.94

$7.48 ฿246

59.63%

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

$1,542 $1,542

$557 ฿18.3K

176.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,288 $8,288

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-30.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.32 $49.32

$64.1 ฿2,106

-23.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.84 $48.84

$29.07 ฿956

68.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.5 $67.5

$96.0 ฿3,154

-29.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.5 $65.5

$90.3 ฿2,970

-27.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 $1,276

$730 ฿24.0K

74.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 $910

$500 ฿16.4K

82.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,123 $2,123

$2,090 ฿68.7K

1.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$1,209 ฿39.7K

29.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 $2,244

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-37.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,064 $2,064

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-17.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,188 $4,188

$503 ฿16.5K

731.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

5.57

9.52%

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

Last update for Auburn, AL: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,276 in Auburn, AL and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Auburn, AL pays 732% 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: $47.00 in Auburn, AL vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 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

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

Auburn, AL and Phuket differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,935 vs $1,253 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 732% higher in Auburn, AL, 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: $1,276 in Auburn, AL versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,542 in Auburn, AL versus $557 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 $33.00 versus $47.00 in Auburn, AL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,935 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 54% less than in Auburn, AL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.