Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Brunswick, ME and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,678 in Brunswick, ME, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Brunswick, ME, United States
Phuket, Thailand
Brunswick, ME
🇺🇸 United States
$2,678
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brunswick, ME and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Brunswick, ME and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,678 in Brunswick, ME versus $1,278 in Phuket.

  • Brunswick, ME $2,678
  • Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,022 in Brunswick, ME versus $2,216 in Phuket.

  • Brunswick, ME $4,022
  • Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,366 in Brunswick, ME versus $3,154 in Phuket.

  • Brunswick, ME $5,366
  • Phuket $3,154

Living in Brunswick, ME is roughly 110% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Brunswick, ME is 97% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brunswick, ME
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.46 $25.46
$4.47 ฿151
469.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$118 $118
$32.41 ฿1,094
262.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.94 $14.94
$8.81 ฿297
69.58%
Cappuccino
$6.36 $6.36
$2.83 ฿95.5
124.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 $3.13
$0.87 ฿29.43
259.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 $2.39
$0.49 ฿16.67
387.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.92 $7.92
$2.56 ฿86.4
209.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.16 $8.16
$3.68 ฿124
121.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brunswick, ME
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.01 $1.01
$1.66 ฿56.0
-39.16%
White Bread (500g)
$3.23 $3.23
$1.46 ฿49.35
121.23%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.44 $3.44
$1.50 ฿50.6
129.33%
Eggs
$2.45 $2.45
$2.09 ฿70.5
17.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.95 $12.95
$19.07 ฿644
-32.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.24 $10.24
$3.30 ฿111
210.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.96 $15.96
$10.91 ฿368
46.29%
Apples (1kg)
$4.65 $4.65
$2.93 ฿99.0
58.70%
Banana (1kg)
$1.47 $1.47
$1.69 ฿57.1
-13.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.53 $4.53
$2.25 ฿75.8
101.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.40 $6.40
$2.08 ฿70.1
207.69%
Potato (1kg)
$3.32 $3.32
$1.51 ฿51.0
119.87%
Onion (1kg)
$3.63 $3.63
$1.38 ฿46.56
163.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.44 $2.44
$1.07 ฿35.99
128.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.93 $1.93
$0.52 ฿17.52
271.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.97 $8.97
$4.20 ฿142
113.57%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.13 $13.13
$18.79 ฿634
-30.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.38 $1.38
$1.82 ฿61.5
-24.18%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 $1.94
$2.84 ฿95.9
-31.69%
🚌 Getting Around
Brunswick, ME
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.99 $1.99
$1.45 ฿49.03
37.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$59.7 $59.7
$56.7 ฿1,913
5.28%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.02 $2.02
$3.02 ฿102
-33.11%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.52 $1.52
$1.02 ฿34.36
49.02%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$11.15 $11.15
$3.69 ฿125
202.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 $1.04
$1.47 ฿49.81
-29.25%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K $26.8K
$26.8K ฿904.3K
0.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K $26.4K
$26.7K ฿901.3K
-1.27%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brunswick, ME
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 $158
$96.4 ฿3,254
63.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$68.0 $68.0
$11.26 ฿380
503.64%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$78.1 $78.1
$16.85 ฿569
363.68%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brunswick, ME
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.42 $35.42
$67.2 ฿2,270
-47.32%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.73 ฿362
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.14 $14.14
$7.50 ฿253
88.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brunswick, ME
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,242 $1,242
$476 ฿16.1K
161.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$26.6K $26.6K
$11.3K ฿380.4K
136.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brunswick, ME
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.0 $52.0
$62.4 ฿2,106
-16.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$81.5 $81.5
$28.41 ฿959
186.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$103 $103
$94.3 ฿3,184
9.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132 $132
$85.8 ฿2,898
54.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brunswick, ME
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,557 $1,557
$716 ฿24.2K
117.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,292 $1,292
$491 ฿16.6K
163.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,525 $2,525
$1,927 ฿65.1K
31.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,076 $2,076
$1,431 ฿48.3K
45.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,959 $2,959
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-29.14%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,310 $2,310
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-24.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brunswick, ME
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,782 $4,782
$502 ฿17.0K
852.16%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.5
5.57
16.70%

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

Last update for Brunswick, ME: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brunswick, ME
$1.3K
Phuket
$491 62% $801
Eating Out
Brunswick, ME
$403
Phuket
$122 69.8% $281
Groceries & Markets
Brunswick, ME
$373
Phuket
$266 28.7% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brunswick, ME
$304
Phuket
$124 59% $179
Clothing & Footwear
Brunswick, ME
$166
Phuket
$122 26.6% $44
Getting Around
Brunswick, ME
$77
Phuket
$71 8.6% $6.7
Sport & Entertainment
Brunswick, ME
$64
Phuket
$82 29.1% $19

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,557 in Brunswick, ME and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brunswick, ME pays about 9.5 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $118 in Brunswick, ME vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 vs $266 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Brunswick, ME
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
12:06 12:06 PM
23:06 11:06 PM
11 h ahead of Brunswick, ME
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
16,287
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brunswick, ME Phuket 14,140 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Brunswick, ME
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Brunswick, ME vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Brunswick, ME?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, utilities, and groceries. The 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Brunswick, ME or Phuket?
Average pay in Brunswick, ME is about 9.5 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Brunswick, ME and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,557 in Brunswick, ME versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Brunswick, ME and in Phuket?
All in, you’ll spend $2,678 per month in Brunswick, ME versus $1,278 in Phuket – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 5% less than in Brunswick, ME. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Brunswick, ME or in Phuket?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,678 in Brunswick, ME, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Brunswick, ME. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Brunswick, ME or in Phuket?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Brunswick, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Brunswick, ME vs other spots: cost of living compared

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