Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnstable, MA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Barnstable, MA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,354 in Barnstable, MA versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,517 in Barnstable, MA versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,680 in Barnstable, MA versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Barnstable, MA is roughly 88% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Barnstable, MA is 71% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.04 $18.04

$4.56 ฿150

295.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 $75.8

$32.62 ฿1,072

132.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 $10.03

$8.90 ฿293

12.70%

Cappuccino

$3.94 $3.94

$2.80 ฿92.2

40.71%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$0.88 ฿28.93

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.49 ฿16.08

236.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.39 ฿78.5

107.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$3.71 ฿122

87.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.79 ฿58.7

-39.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.44 ฿47.38

104.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.58 ฿52.1

167.09%

Eggs

$4.17 $4.17

$2.13 ฿69.9

95.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$19.92 ฿655

-67.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.61 $8.61

$3.43 ฿113

151.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.79 $8.79

$11.33 ฿372

-22.42%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$2.95 ฿96.9

39.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.72 ฿56.6

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.32 ฿76.4

94.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.08 ฿68.4

70.19%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.47 ฿48.33

46.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.36 ฿44.64

56.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.10 ฿36.12

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$0.57 ฿18.89

340.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.47 $12.47

$4.27 ฿140

192.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 $13.10

$18.42 ฿605

-28.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.87 ฿61.5

14.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.92 ฿96.0

39.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.22 ฿72.9

-8.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.13 $35.13

$22.90 ฿753

53.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.03 ฿99.6

15.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.07 ฿35.31

232.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.33 $26.33

$3.93 ฿129

569.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.49 ฿49.04

-36.24%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

37.48%

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

$23.6K $23.6K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-14.06%

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

$98.1 $98.1

$103 ฿3,379

-4.54%

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

$59.1 $59.1

$10.99 ฿361

438.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.8 $64.8

$17.51 ฿576

269.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 $41.02

$53.5 ฿1,760

-23.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.54 $23.54

$11.20 ฿368

110.18%

Cinema Ticket

$13.81 $13.81

$7.48 ฿246

84.63%

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

$1,827 $1,827

$557 ฿18.3K

228.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

157.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 $56.3

$64.1 ฿2,106

-12.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.67 $37.67

$29.07 ฿956

29.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 $81.2

$96.0 ฿3,154

-15.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 $99.5

$90.3 ฿2,970

10.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$730 ฿24.0K

117.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,269 $1,269

$500 ฿16.4K

153.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 $2,489

$2,090 ฿68.7K

19.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,148 $2,148

$1,209 ฿39.7K

77.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,720 $2,720

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-24.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,405 $2,405

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-4.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,709 $4,709

$503 ฿16.5K

835.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

5.57

8.44%

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

Last update for Barnstable, MA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,590 in Barnstable, MA and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Barnstable, MA pays 835% 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: $76.0 in Barnstable, MA vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 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

Barnstable, MA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Barnstable, MA and Phuket differ by about 88% in total monthly costs ($2,354 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 835% higher in Barnstable, MA, 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: $1,590 in Barnstable, MA versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 53% less than in Barnstable, MA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,827 in Barnstable, MA versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,354 in Barnstable, MA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Barnstable, MA. 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, Barnstable, MA 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 88% less than in Barnstable, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.