Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentonville, AR and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Bentonville, AR and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,478 per month in Bentonville, AR vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,668 per month in Bentonville, AR vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,858 per month in Bentonville, AR vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Bentonville, AR costs about 96% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bentonville, AR sits 85% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.64 $21.64

$4.70 ฿153

360.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.8 $85.8

$45.37 ฿1,482

89.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.78 $10.78

$8.43 ฿275

27.88%

Cappuccino

$5.37 $5.37

$2.93 ฿95.6

83.28%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$0.69 ฿22.40

289.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.37 ฿11.99

494.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.09 $6.09

$2.41 ฿78.6

152.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.72 ฿122

75.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.23 ฿72.9

-51.57%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.83 ฿59.8

78.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$2.17 ฿70.8

38.25%

Eggs

$4.85 $4.85

$2.21 ฿72.3

119.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.92 $9.92

$19.74 ฿645

-49.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.47 $16.47

$3.63 ฿119

353.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.37 $16.37

$13.53 ฿442

20.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$3.28 ฿107

36.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.61 ฿52.6

-16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.41 ฿78.6

19.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.08 ฿68.1

28.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.53 ฿49.93

56.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.48 ฿48.36

78.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.99 ฿32.29

89.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$0.51 ฿16.67

278.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.28 $10.28

$4.41 ฿144

133.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.19 $12.19

$19.38 ฿633

-37.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.78 ฿58.1

-8.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.71 ฿88.6

-19.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.37 ฿44.79

44.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.02 ฿98.6

-19.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.99 ฿32.48

49.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.10 $24.10

$14.10 ฿461

70.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.36 ฿44.51

-42.65%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-15.98%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-21.09%

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

$197 $197

$122 ฿3,975

62.26%

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

$48.02 $48.02

$13.57 ฿443

253.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$18.31 ฿598

265.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.70 $25.70

$60.2 ฿1,967

-57.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.01 $5.01

$17.14 ฿560

-70.77%

Cinema Ticket

$12.43 $12.43

$8.69 ฿284

43.04%

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

$1,047 $1,047

$693 ฿22.6K

51.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.7K $18.7K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

18.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.68 $46.68

$59.5 ฿1,944

-21.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.77 $39.77

$34.77 ฿1,136

14.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 $68.0

$115 ฿3,743

-40.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.6 $69.6

$83.3 ฿2,720

-16.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 $1,708

$613 ฿20.0K

178.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,279 $1,279

$437 ฿14.3K

192.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,999 $2,999

$2,094 ฿68.4K

43.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,078 $2,078

$1,509 ฿49.3K

37.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,872 $3,872

$3,749 ฿122.5K

3.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,348 $2,348

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-10.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,724 $5,724

$508 ฿16.6K

1026.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

5.33

23.08%

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

Last update for Bentonville, AR: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,708 in Bentonville, AR versus $613 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1027% higher in Bentonville, AR, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Bentonville, AR versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Bentonville, AR vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,478 in Bentonville, AR, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 96% apart. Bentonville, AR costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,717 per month in Bentonville, AR and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,478 in Bentonville, AR and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,047 per month in Bentonville, AR and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Bentonville, AR at $2,478. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bentonville, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $2,478 in Bentonville, AR. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bentonville, AR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.