Cost of Living Comparison Between Buckley, WA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Buckley, WA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,456 per month in Buckley, WA vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,641 per month in Buckley, WA vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,827 per month in Buckley, WA vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Buckley, WA costs about 94% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Buckley, WA sits 83% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.42 $27.42

$4.70 ฿153

483.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.4 $70.4

$45.37 ฿1,482

55.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$8.43 ฿275

44.84%

Cappuccino

$6.23 $6.23

$2.93 ฿95.6

112.63%

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

$3.45 $3.45

$0.69 ฿22.40

400.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$0.37 ฿11.99

621.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.96 $6.96

$2.41 ฿78.6

188.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 $5.84

$3.72 ฿122

56.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$2.23 ฿72.9

-63.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.83 ฿59.8

16.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.17 ฿70.8

90.78%

Eggs

$3.92 $3.92

$2.21 ฿72.3

77.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$19.74 ฿645

-32.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.65 $8.65

$3.63 ฿119

138.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.04 $13.04

$13.53 ฿442

-3.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$3.28 ฿107

-1.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.61 ฿52.6

-2.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.41 ฿78.6

15.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.08 ฿68.1

58.65%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.53 ฿49.93

93.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.48 ฿48.36

87.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.99 ฿32.29

149.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$0.51 ฿16.67

435.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.17 $10.17

$4.41 ฿144

130.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$19.38 ฿633

-64.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.78 ฿58.1

10.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.71 ฿88.6

69.37%

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)

$4.87 $4.87

$3.02 ฿98.6

61.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.99 ฿32.48

24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.86 $24.86

$14.10 ฿461

76.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.36 ฿44.51

-17.65%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

26.59%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-20.00%

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

$124 $124

$122 ฿3,975

1.88%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$13.57 ฿443

349.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.13 $40.13

$18.31 ฿598

119.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.58 $43.58

$60.2 ฿1,967

-27.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$11.03 $11.03

$8.69 ฿284

26.93%

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

$1,446 $1,446

$693 ฿22.6K

108.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

49.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$27.28 $27.28

$59.5 ฿1,944

-54.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.1 $60.1

$34.77 ฿1,136

72.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.73 $41.73

$115 ฿3,743

-63.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.4 $65.4

$83.3 ฿2,720

-21.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 $1,582

$613 ฿20.0K

158.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,338 $1,338

$437 ฿14.3K

206.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,652 $2,652

$2,094 ฿68.4K

26.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 $2,257

$1,509 ฿49.3K

49.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,654 $2,654

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-29.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,387 $2,387

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-8.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,475 $2,475

$508 ฿16.6K

387.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

5.33

24.95%

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

Last update for Buckley, WA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,582 in Buckley, WA 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 387% higher in Buckley, WA, 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 $70.0 in Buckley, WA versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $327 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Buckley, WA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Buckley, WA is pricier by about 94%, 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 $3,684 per month in Buckley, WA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Buckley, WA and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Buckley, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Buckley, WA at $2,456. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Buckley, WA 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, Buckley, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.