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: $2,345 in Buford, GA versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,537 in Buford, GA versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,728 in Buford, GA versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Buford, GA is roughly 86% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Buford, GA is 76% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.82 $21.82

$4.48 ฿150

387.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$45.59 ฿1,525

64.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.89 $5.89

$8.76 ฿293

-32.76%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$2.97 ฿99.3

95.96%

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

$1.94 $1.94

$0.69 ฿22.96

181.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.39 ฿13.07

402.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.43 $5.43

$2.53 ฿84.7

114.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.98 $6.98

$3.75 ฿125

86.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.15 ฿71.8

-58.14%

White Bread (500g)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.82 ฿60.7

92.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$2.18 ฿73.1

93.12%

Eggs

$3.48 $3.48

$2.25 ฿75.2

54.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 $7.86

$20.00 ฿669

-60.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.13 $9.13

$3.63 ฿121

151.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 $13.05

$13.56 ฿453

-3.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$3.24 ฿109

32.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.64 ฿54.7

-25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.33 ฿78.0

68.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$2.07 ฿69.3

133.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.55 ฿51.8

80.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.46 ฿48.67

81.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$0.98 ฿32.94

142.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.48 ฿16.13

375.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.50 $7.50

$4.35 ฿146

72.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.83 $10.83

$18.57 ฿621

-41.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.86 ฿62.1

-4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.65 ฿88.8

-44.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.42 ฿47.40

167.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.17 ฿106

38.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.03 ฿34.51

67.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.38 $42.38

$13.89 ฿465

205.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.34 ฿44.96

-42.54%

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

$34.3K $34.3K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

23.56%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-28.52%

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

$172 $172

$123 ฿4,116

39.51%

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

$24.63 $24.63

$13.77 ฿461

78.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.0 $85.0

$18.33 ฿613

363.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.92 $44.92

$60.7 ฿2,030

-25.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.36 $34.36

$17.16 ฿574

100.23%

Cinema Ticket

$12.79 $12.79

$8.87 ฿297

44.19%

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

$1,105 $1,105

$688 ฿23.0K

60.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.0K $26.0K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

64.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.51 $44.51

$59.3 ฿1,984

-24.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$34.69 ฿1,160

45.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 $76.1

$115 ฿3,853

-33.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.8 $97.8

$83.8 ฿2,802

16.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 $1,469

$621 ฿20.8K

136.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 $1,131

$446 ฿14.9K

153.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 $2,437

$2,034 ฿68.0K

19.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,122 $2,122

$1,496 ฿50.0K

41.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,346 $3,346

$494 ฿16.5K

577.76%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,469 in Buford, GA and $621 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: $75.0 in Buford, GA vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $291 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 86% in total monthly costs ($2,345 vs $1,264 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 578% higher in Buford, GA, 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: $1,469 in Buford, GA versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Buford, GA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,345 per month in Buford, GA versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,345 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 86% less than in Buford, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.