Cost of Living Comparison Between Buford, GA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Buford, GA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,300 in Buford, GA versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,532 in Buford, GA versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,764 in Buford, GA versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Buford, GA is roughly 82% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buford, GA is 71% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.69 $21.69

$4.56 ฿149

375.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.1 $76.1

$46.63 ฿1,527

63.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.94 $5.94

$8.47 ฿277

-29.87%

Cappuccino

$5.70 $5.70

$3.03 ฿99.1

88.12%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$0.69 ฿22.57

182.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.37 ฿11.98

451.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.48 $5.48

$2.49 ฿81.5

120.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.02 $7.02

$3.66 ฿120

91.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.18 ฿71.4

-61.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.90 ฿62.3

84.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.27 $4.27

$2.20 ฿72.0

94.09%

Eggs

$3.44 $3.44

$2.22 ฿72.8

54.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 $7.91

$19.99 ฿655

-60.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.19 $9.19

$3.66 ฿120

151.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 $13.30

$13.25 ฿434

0.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.23 ฿106

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.70 ฿55.6

-28.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.39 ฿78.4

55.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.08 ฿68.0

121.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.59 ฿52.1

70.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.48 ฿48.58

74.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.03 ฿33.73

128.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.52 ฿16.93

325.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.62 $7.62

$4.25 ฿139

79.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.80 $10.80

$18.79 ฿615

-42.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.76 ฿57.5

2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.76 ฿90.3

-45.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.36 ฿44.56

169.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 $4.47

$3.14 ฿103

42.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.04 ฿33.92

66.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.16 $42.16

$13.77 ฿451

206.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.34 ฿44.03

-37.31%

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

$34.4K $34.4K

$27.7K ฿906.4K

24.40%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-27.76%

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

$176 $176

$124 ฿4,048

42.69%

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

$24.66 $24.66

$13.52 ฿443

82.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.4 $85.4

$18.69 ฿612

356.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.12 $45.12

$61.8 ฿2,025

-27.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.44 $35.44

$17.25 ฿565

105.45%

Cinema Ticket

$12.97 $12.97

$9.14 ฿299

41.90%

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

$1,097 $1,097

$703 ฿23.0K

56.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.0K $26.0K

$15.9K ฿519.8K

63.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.71 $44.71

$59.5 ฿1,947

-24.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.22 $49.22

$35.07 ฿1,149

40.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 $76.4

$115 ฿3,775

-33.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.3 $95.3

$84.1 ฿2,752

13.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 $1,441

$619 ฿20.3K

132.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 $1,131

$433 ฿14.2K

161.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,396 $2,396

$2,062 ฿67.5K

16.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,138 $2,138

$1,511 ฿49.5K

41.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿119.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,439 $3,439

$507 ฿16.6K

578.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

5.33

20.08%

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

Last update for Buford, GA: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,441 in Buford, GA and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Buford, GA pays 578% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $76.0 in Buford, GA vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $334 vs $293 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Buford, GA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Buford, GA and Phuket differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($2,300 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Buford, GA pays 578% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,441 in Buford, GA versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Buford, GA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,300 per month in Buford, GA versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,300 in Buford, GA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Buford, GA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Buford, GA and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Buford, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.