Cost of Living Comparison Between Aurora, CO and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Aurora, CO and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,091 in Aurora, CO versus $1,247 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,323 in Aurora, CO versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,555 in Aurora, CO versus $3,306 in Phuket.

Living in Aurora, CO is roughly 148% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Aurora, CO is 129% above, Phuket is 7% below.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Aurora, CO
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.66 $19.66
$4.59 เธฟ147
328.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.8 $60.8
$46.83 เธฟ1,501
29.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.77 $12.77
$8.70 เธฟ279
46.78%
Cappuccino
$4.19 $4.19
$2.92 เธฟ93.7
43.49%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.43 $2.43
$0.68 เธฟ21.92
257.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96 $1.96
$0.40 เธฟ12.70
390.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.93 $3.93
$2.51 เธฟ80.4
56.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.94 $5.94
$3.80 เธฟ122
56.32%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Aurora, CO
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$2.16 เธฟ69.3
-57.41%
White Bread (500g)
$2.93 $2.93
$1.88 เธฟ60.3
55.85%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.04 $3.04
$2.16 เธฟ69.2
40.74%
Eggs
$2.75 $2.75
$2.22 เธฟ71.2
23.87%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.82 $8.82
$19.57 เธฟ627
-54.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.26 $9.26
$3.80 เธฟ122
143.68%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.48 $17.48
$13.41 เธฟ430
30.35%
Apples (1kg)
$3.31 $3.31
$3.26 เธฟ104
1.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.53 $1.53
$1.61 เธฟ51.7
-4.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.13 $3.13
$2.31 เธฟ74.0
35.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.50 $4.50
$2.06 เธฟ66.0
118.45%
Potato (1kg)
$5.63 $5.63
$1.61 เธฟ51.5
249.69%
Onion (1kg)
$4.03 $4.03
$1.44 เธฟ46.26
179.86%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.00 $2.00
$1.03 เธฟ33.01
94.17%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$3.74 $3.74
$0.48 เธฟ15.39
679.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.48 $9.48
$4.50 เธฟ144
110.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$19.69 $19.69
$19.18 เธฟ615
2.66%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71 $1.71
$1.82 เธฟ58.4
-6.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37 $3.37
$2.69 เธฟ86.2
25.28%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Aurora, CO
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.93 $2.93
$1.38 เธฟ44.16
112.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$175 $175
$11.76 เธฟ377
1387.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.53 $3.53
$3.11 เธฟ99.6
13.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.00 เธฟ32.18
58.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.09 $29.09
$13.74 เธฟ441
111.72%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 $0.79
$1.30 เธฟ41.61
-39.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.2K $29.2K
$27.4K เธฟ877.0K
6.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$33.0K เธฟ1.1M
-21.59%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Aurora, CO
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$173 $173
$125 เธฟ4,004
38.50%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$63.0 $63.0
$13.74 เธฟ440
358.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.2 $54.2
$18.61 เธฟ597
191.19%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Aurora, CO
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$12.01 $12.01
$60.6 เธฟ1,941
-80.17%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.15 เธฟ550
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.17 $13.17
$9.01 เธฟ289
46.17%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Aurora, CO
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,319 $1,319
$698 เธฟ22.4K
89.02%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.8K $23.8K
$16.1K เธฟ516.5K
47.89%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Aurora, CO
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$43.43 $43.43
$59.2 เธฟ1,898
-26.65%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.9 $50.9
$34.86 เธฟ1,118
46.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 $112
$114 เธฟ3,662
-2.35%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113 $113
$85.8 เธฟ2,751
31.78%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Aurora, CO
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,961 $1,961
$619 เธฟ19.8K
217.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,780 $1,780
$437 เธฟ14.0K
307.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,055 $3,055
$2,075 เธฟ66.5K
47.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,673 $2,673
$1,509 เธฟ48.4K
77.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,155 $3,155
$3,764 เธฟ120.7K
-16.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,169 $3,169
$2,694 เธฟ86.4K
17.67%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Aurora, CO
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,101 $4,101
$528 เธฟ16.9K
676.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.45
5.33
21.01%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Aurora, CO: April 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,961 in Aurora, CO and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aurora, CO pays 676% 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: $61 in Aurora, CO vs $47 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $380 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
Aurora, CO vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Aurora, CO or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost โ€“ living expenses run 148% lower than in Aurora, CO. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Aurora, CO or Phuket?
Aurora, CO pays 676% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Aurora, CO vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,961 in Aurora, CO versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Aurora, CO or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Aurora, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Aurora, CO vs Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket โ€“ a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $61.0 in Aurora, CO. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Aurora, CO or Phuket?
At $1,247 in Phuket versus $3,091 in Aurora, CO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Aurora, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Aurora, CO or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value โ€“ similar infrastructure at $1,247 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Aurora, CO compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Aurora, CO 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ€“ expenses run 148% less than in Aurora, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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