Cost of Living Comparison Between Baltimore, MD and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Baltimore, MD and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,560 in Baltimore, MD versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,991 in Baltimore, MD versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,422 in Baltimore, MD versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Baltimore, MD is roughly 108% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Baltimore, MD is 87% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.75 $17.75

$4.41 ฿147

302.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$95.8 $95.8

$32.26 ฿1,077

197.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 $10.79

$8.93 ฿298

20.83%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$2.90 ฿96.6

81.38%

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

$3.46 $3.46

$0.88 ฿29.38

293.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.48 ฿16.06

468.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.08 $7.08

$2.35 ฿78.5

201.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.22 $8.22

$3.72 ฿124

120.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.87 ฿62.3

-40.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.47 ฿48.94

168.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$1.55 ฿51.8

166.45%

Eggs

$4.97 $4.97

$2.10 ฿70.1

136.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 $12.58

$19.59 ฿654

-35.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$3.42 ฿114

279.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.02 $19.02

$11.38 ฿380

67.14%

Apples (1kg)

$6.09 $6.09

$2.98 ฿99.6

104.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.68 ฿56.2

-8.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$2.21 ฿73.7

161.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.16 ฿72.1

126.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.52 ฿50.9

82.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.34 ฿44.67

119.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.13 ฿37.67

111.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.55 ฿18.24

307.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.21 $14.21

$4.26 ฿142

233.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.42 $15.42

$19.09 ฿637

-19.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.78 ฿59.4

42.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.78 ฿92.9

35.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.23 ฿74.4

-8.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$77.4 $77.4

$22.74 ฿759

240.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 $1.84

$3.03 ฿101

-39.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.02 ฿34.15

31.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.58 $23.58

$3.89 ฿130

506.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.49 ฿49.77

-33.56%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

37.23%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-5.45%

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

$213 $213

$102 ฿3,420

108.08%

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

$67.8 $67.8

$11.33 ฿378

498.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.4 $86.4

$17.40 ฿581

396.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.6 $50.6

$52.1 ฿1,738

-2.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$48.19 $48.19

$11.07 ฿370

335.32%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 $14.90

$7.69 ฿257

93.76%

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

$1,986 $1,986

$561 ฿18.7K

254.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K $34.9K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

203.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$63.0 ฿2,104

-15.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.6 $62.6

$29.52 ฿986

112.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

$98.0 ฿3,272

-6.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$88.5 ฿2,954

27.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,777 $1,777

$738 ฿24.6K

140.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,081 $1,081

$482 ฿16.1K

124.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,321 $2,321

$2,107 ฿70.3K

10.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,086 $2,086

$1,226 ฿40.9K

70.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,508 $2,508

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-30.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,286 $2,286

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-12.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,337 $4,337

$494 ฿16.5K

778.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

5.57

12.39%

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

Last update for Baltimore, MD: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,777 in Baltimore, MD and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Baltimore, MD pays 779% 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: $96.0 in Baltimore, MD vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 vs $274 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

Baltimore, MD vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 108% lower than in Baltimore, MD. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 779% higher in Baltimore, MD, 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: $1,777 in Baltimore, MD versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 59% higher in Baltimore, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $96.0 in Baltimore, MD. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,560 in Baltimore, MD, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Baltimore, MD. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Baltimore, MD 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 108% less than in Baltimore, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.