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 $3,375 per month in Boulder, CO vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,758 per month in Boulder, CO vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,141 per month in Boulder, CO vs $3,291 in Phuket, rent included.

Boulder, CO costs about 168% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Boulder, CO sits 153% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.30 $20.30

$4.53 ฿153

348.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.4 $69.4

$46.36 ฿1,565

49.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.84 $10.84

$8.65 ฿292

25.32%

Cappuccino

$5.96 $5.96

$3.09 ฿104

92.88%

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

$3.34 $3.34

$0.68 ฿22.89

391.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$0.37 ฿12.44

551.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.34 $6.34

$2.42 ฿81.6

161.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 $7.17

$3.81 ฿129

88.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.18 ฿73.5

-52.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.64 $3.64

$1.82 ฿61.3

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.18 ฿73.5

100.46%

Eggs

$5.61 $5.61

$2.24 ฿75.4

150.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.03 $13.03

$19.93 ฿673

-34.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.76 $14.76

$3.64 ฿123

305.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.79 $16.79

$13.56 ฿458

23.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$3.29 ฿111

34.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.69 ฿56.9

-13.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.33 ฿78.8

63.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.03 ฿68.4

139.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.60 ฿54.0

68.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.49 ฿50.5

73.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.01 ฿34.17

122.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.48 ฿16.09

360.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 $9.92

$4.45 ฿150

122.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.23 $17.23

$18.63 ฿629

-7.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.79 ฿60.3

1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.80 ฿94.4

36.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.42 ฿47.90

89.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$152 $152

$11.33 ฿382

1242.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.09 ฿104

-18.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.04 ฿35.19

32.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.13 $24.13

$13.63 ฿460

77.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.31 ฿44.23

-38.93%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

-2.15%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-23.47%

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

$189 $189

$123 ฿4,157

53.22%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$13.81 ฿466

334.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.1 $71.1

$18.52 ฿625

283.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 $77.7

$60.4 ฿2,037

28.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.35 $20.35

$16.80 ฿567

21.13%

Cinema Ticket

$16.36 $16.36

$8.89 ฿300

84.03%

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

$1,437 $1,437

$687 ฿23.2K

109.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

99.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.9 $72.9

$57.6 ฿1,945

26.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.99 $36.99

$34.66 ฿1,170

6.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 $89.8

$115 ฿3,879

-21.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 $99.0

$84.9 ฿2,865

16.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,181 $2,181

$618 ฿20.8K

253.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 $1,861

$443 ฿15.0K

320.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,016 $4,016

$2,047 ฿69.1K

96.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,802 $2,802

$1,506 ฿50.8K

86.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,413 $4,413

$3,568 ฿120.4K

23.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,374 $4,374

$2,511 ฿84.7K

74.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,306 $5,306

$503 ฿17.0K

955.36%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,181 in Boulder, CO versus $618 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 955% 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 $69.0 in Boulder, CO versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 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

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

Yes – Boulder, CO is pricier by about 168%, 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 $5,062 per month in Boulder, CO and $1,891 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 44% 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 $1,261, than in Boulder, CO at $3,375. 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.