😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,409 in Castle Rock, CO versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,517 in Castle Rock, CO versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,626 in Castle Rock, CO versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Castle Rock, CO is roughly 90% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Castle Rock, CO is 80% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Castle Rock, CO
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.93$14.93
$4.70฿154
217.66%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$72.6$72.6
$45.37฿1,483
59.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.92$7.92
$8.43฿276
-6.05%
Cappuccino
$4.97$4.97
$2.93฿95.7
69.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01$2.01
$0.69฿22.42
191.30%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94$1.94
$0.37฿12.00
424.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.85$4.85
$2.41฿78.7
101.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.96$4.96
$3.72฿122
33.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Castle Rock, CO
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.00$1.00
$2.23฿73.0
-55.16%
White Bread(500g)
$3.03$3.03
$1.83฿59.9
65.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.31$3.31
$2.17฿70.9
52.53%
Eggs
$4.09$4.09
$2.21฿72.4
85.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.96$10.96
$19.74฿645
-44.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.79$8.79
$3.63฿119
142.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.29$16.29
$13.53฿442
20.40%
Apples(1kg)
$3.81$3.81
$3.28฿107
16.16%
Banana(1kg)
$1.40$1.40
$1.61฿52.7
-13.04%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.63$3.63
$2.41฿78.7
50.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.01$5.01
$2.08฿68.1
140.87%
Potato(1kg)
$2.33$2.33
$1.53฿49.97
52.29%
Onion(1kg)
$1.87$1.87
$1.48฿48.41
26.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.28$1.28
$0.99฿32.32
29.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94$1.94
$0.51฿16.68
280.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.22$13.22
$4.41฿144
199.77%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.88$11.88
$19.38฿634
-38.70%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.29$2.29
$1.78฿58.1
28.65%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78$2.78
$2.71฿88.7
2.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Castle Rock, CO
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.98$1.98
$1.37฿44.83
44.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.39฿372
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.48$2.48
$3.02฿98.7
-17.88%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.36$1.36
$0.99฿32.51
37.37%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$25.14$25.14
$14.10฿461
78.30%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.76$0.76
$1.36฿44.55
-44.12%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K$27.4K
$28.2K฿921.9K
-2.69%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K$25.7K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-21.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Castle Rock, CO
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$170$170
$122฿3,978
39.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.56$40.56
$13.57฿444
198.89%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.46$44.46
$18.31฿599
142.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Castle Rock, CO
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2$61.2
$60.2฿1,969
1.54%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.63$8.63
$8.69฿284
-0.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Castle Rock, CO
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,493$1,493
$693฿22.7K
115.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$18.2K$18.2K
$15.7K฿512.8K
16.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Castle Rock, CO
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.42$47.42
$59.5฿1,946
-20.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.9$50.9
$34.77฿1,137
46.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$66.2$66.2
$115฿3,746
-42.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108$108
$83.3฿2,723
29.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Castle Rock, CO
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,684$1,684
$613฿20.0K
174.69%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,359$1,359
$437฿14.3K
211.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,819$2,819
$2,094฿68.5K
34.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,234$2,234
$1,509฿49.3K
47.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,749฿122.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,616฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Castle Rock, CO
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,816$5,816
$508฿16.6K
1044.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.45
5.33
21.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Castle Rock, CO: May 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,684 in Castle Rock, CO and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Castle Rock, CO pays 1045% 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: $73.0 in Castle Rock, CO vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $343 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
Castle Rock, CO vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Castle Rock, CO and Phuket?
Castle Rock, CO and Phuket differ by about 90% in total monthly costs ($2,409 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Castle Rock, CO or Phuket?
Castle Rock, CO pays 1045% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Castle Rock, CO and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,684 in Castle Rock, CO versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Castle Rock, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Castle Rock, CO or Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,409 per month in Castle Rock, CO versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,409 in Castle Rock, CO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Castle Rock, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Castle Rock, CO and 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.
Is Castle Rock, CO or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Castle Rock, CO 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.
Where should expats move: Castle Rock, CO or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Castle Rock, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Castle Rock, CO vs other spots: cost of living compared