Cost of Living Comparison Between Billings, MT and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Billings, MT and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,223 per month in Billings, MT vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,395 per month in Billings, MT vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,567 per month in Billings, MT vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Billings, MT costs about 80% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Billings, MT sits 66% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.71 $19.71

$4.63 ฿151

325.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 $59.0

$46.84 ฿1,523

25.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.42 $14.42

$8.84 ฿287

63.12%

Cappuccino

$5.77 $5.77

$3.00 ฿97.4

92.33%

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

$2.17 $2.17

$0.74 ฿24.11

193.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 $2.75

$0.37 ฿11.88

643.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.44 ฿79.3

87.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.61 ฿117

34.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$2.26 ฿73.5

-44.25%

White Bread (500g)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.84 ฿59.8

141.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$2.24 ฿73.0

83.93%

Eggs

$3.17 $3.17

$2.32 ฿75.3

36.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.17 $14.17

$19.67 ฿639

-27.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$3.65 ฿119

241.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.20 $16.20

$13.10 ฿426

23.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.39 ฿110

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.64 ฿53.4

-15.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.41 ฿78.5

59.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.28 $6.28

$2.03 ฿66.0

209.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.56 ฿50.6

17.31%

Onion (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.50 ฿48.66

106.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.02 ฿33.30

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

$0.49 ฿15.91

161.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.19 $9.19

$4.45 ฿145

106.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 $12.93

$18.88 ฿614

-31.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.78 ฿57.7

22.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.75 ฿89.5

40.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.40 ฿45.54

46.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.14 $28.14

$11.48 ฿373

145.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.12 ฿101

-21.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.00 ฿32.48

65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.80 $28.80

$14.09 ฿458

104.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.35 ฿43.93

-37.78%

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

$22.2K $22.2K

$27.2K ฿883.7K

-18.16%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-23.10%

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

$157 $157

$125 ฿4,063

25.65%

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

$48.28 $48.28

$13.57 ฿441

255.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.5 $67.5

$18.52 ฿602

264.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.45 $48.45

$61.5 ฿1,999

-21.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$14.22 $14.22

$9.19 ฿299

54.73%

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

$1,001 $1,001

$698 ฿22.7K

43.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K $31.7K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

103.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 $55.5

$57.8 ฿1,878

-3.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.3 $66.3

$35.24 ฿1,146

88.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100.0 $100.0

$113 ฿3,677

-11.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$86.4 ฿2,808

42.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,173 $1,173

$616 ฿20.0K

90.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$936 $936

$446 ฿14.5K

109.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 $2,095

$2,048 ฿66.6K

2.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,859 $1,859

$1,492 ฿48.5K

24.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,361 $2,361

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-37.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,127 $2,127

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-19.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,925 $3,925

$524 ฿17.0K

649.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

5.33

23.64%

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

Last update for Billings, MT: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,173 in Billings, MT versus $616 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 649% higher in Billings, MT, 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 $59.0 in Billings, MT versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $398 vs $292 – 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

Billings, MT vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Billings, MT costs about 80% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,334 per month in Billings, MT and $1,847 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.

Public transport costs about 145% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,001 per month in Billings, MT and $698 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 $1,232, than in Billings, MT at $2,223. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Billings, MT it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,223 in Billings, MT. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Billings, MT makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.