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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,285 per month in Boulder, CO vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,604 per month in Boulder, CO vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,924 per month in Boulder, CO vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.

Boulder, CO costs about 159% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Boulder, CO sits 145% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.04 $20.04

$4.66 ฿150

330.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.7 $68.7

$46.44 ฿1,496

47.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 $11.04

$8.68 ฿280

27.19%

Cappuccino

$5.94 $5.94

$2.95 ฿95.0

101.36%

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

$3.33 $3.33

$0.70 ฿22.52

375.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.39 ฿12.70

525.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.06 $6.06

$2.53 ฿81.6

139.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.78 ฿122

84.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.22 ฿71.5

-53.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.80 ฿57.8

105.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.19 ฿70.4

105.02%

Eggs

$5.54 $5.54

$2.31 ฿74.5

139.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.29 $13.29

$19.34 ฿623

-31.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.76 $14.76

$3.77 ฿121

291.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.34 $17.34

$13.22 ฿426

31.16%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$3.33 ฿107

30.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.65 ฿53.1

-12.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.29 ฿73.7

61.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$1.99 ฿64.1

142.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.53 ฿49.24

76.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.51 ฿48.77

72.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.03 ฿33.12

117.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.51 ฿16.57

350.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.19 $10.19

$4.41 ฿142

131.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.17 $17.17

$19.41 ฿625

-11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.80 ฿58.0

3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.68 ฿86.4

42.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.43 ฿46.11

91.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$153 $153

$11.70 ฿377

1204.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.04 ฿97.9

-16.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.04 ฿33.37

36.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.34 $24.34

$13.68 ฿441

77.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.30 ฿41.85

-37.69%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

-3.83%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-20.94%

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

$191 $191

$123 ฿3,962

55.48%

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

$60.0 $60.0

$13.82 ฿445

334.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$18.86 ฿608

283.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$61.2 ฿1,970

30.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.39 $20.39

$16.81 ฿541

21.30%

Cinema Ticket

$16.74 $16.74

$8.87 ฿286

88.73%

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

$1,440 $1,440

$696 ฿22.4K

106.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

90.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 $73.7

$59.3 ฿1,910

24.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.83 $36.83

$34.85 ฿1,123

5.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 $89.2

$113 ฿3,646

-21.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100.0 $100.0

$85.1 ฿2,740

17.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,122 $2,122

$615 ฿19.8K

244.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,822 $1,822

$448 ฿14.4K

306.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,968 $3,968

$2,085 ฿67.2K

90.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,806 $2,806

$1,496 ฿48.2K

87.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,412 $4,412

$3,734 ฿120.3K

18.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,514 $4,514

$2,662 ฿85.8K

69.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,220 $5,220

$534 ฿17.2K

878.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

5.33

20.45%

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

Last update for Boulder, CO: April 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,122 in Boulder, CO versus $615 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 878% higher in Boulder, CO, 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 $69 in Boulder, CO versus $46 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $423 vs $291 – 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

Boulder, CO vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Boulder, CO is pricier by about 159%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,927 per month in Boulder, CO and $1,904 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.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Boulder, CO, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $69.0 in Boulder, CO and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,270, than in Boulder, CO at $3,285. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Boulder, CO it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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