Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cleveland, OH and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,409 in Cleveland, OH, rent and utilities included – about $13,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Cleveland, OH, United States
Phuket, Thailand
Cleveland, OH
🇺🇸 United States
$2,409
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cleveland, OH 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 Cleveland, OH and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,409 per month in Cleveland, OH vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Cleveland, OH $2,409
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $3,602 per month in Cleveland, OH vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Cleveland, OH $3,602
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $4,794 per month in Cleveland, OH vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Cleveland, OH $4,794
  • Phuket $3,154

Cleveland, OH costs about 89% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Cleveland, OH sits 77% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cleveland, OH
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.09 $18.09
$4.47 ฿151
304.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$62.3 $62.3
$32.41 ฿1,093
92.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.05 $11.05
$8.81 ฿297
25.43%
Cappuccino
$5.57 $5.57
$2.83 ฿95.4
96.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 $2.65
$0.87 ฿29.40
204.60%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 $1.97
$0.49 ฿16.65
302.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.11 $6.11
$2.56 ฿86.3
138.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.10 $8.10
$3.68 ฿124
120.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cleveland, OH
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.66 ฿55.9
-46.99%
White Bread (500g)
$3.28 $3.28
$1.46 ฿49.29
124.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.42 $4.42
$1.50 ฿50.5
194.67%
Eggs
$4.44 $4.44
$2.09 ฿70.5
112.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.09 $13.09
$19.07 ฿643
-31.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.16 $12.16
$3.30 ฿111
268.48%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.88 $19.88
$10.91 ฿368
82.22%
Apples (1kg)
$5.09 $5.09
$2.93 ฿98.8
73.72%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 $1.61
$1.69 ฿57.0
-4.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.16 $4.16
$2.25 ฿75.7
84.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.85 $3.85
$2.08 ฿70.0
85.10%
Potato (1kg)
$2.99 $2.99
$1.51 ฿51.0
98.01%
Onion (1kg)
$3.17 $3.17
$1.38 ฿46.51
129.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.18 $2.18
$1.07 ฿35.95
103.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.11 $2.11
$0.52 ฿17.50
305.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.19 $10.19
$4.20 ฿142
142.62%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.87 $14.87
$18.79 ฿634
-20.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.41 $2.41
$1.82 ฿61.4
32.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 $3.70
$2.84 ฿95.8
30.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Cleveland, OH
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.56 $2.56
$1.45 ฿48.97
76.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$93.7 $93.7
$56.7 ฿1,911
65.44%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.78 $2.78
$3.02 ฿102
-7.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.02 ฿34.32
54.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.45 $25.45
$3.69 ฿124
589.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.07 $1.07
$1.47 ฿49.75
-27.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.1K $36.1K
$26.8K ฿903.2K
34.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$26.7K ฿900.3K
-3.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cleveland, OH
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$221 $221
$96.4 ฿3,250
129.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$65.4 $65.4
$11.26 ฿380
480.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$73.1 $73.1
$16.85 ฿568
333.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cleveland, OH
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$33.34 $33.34
$67.2 ฿2,268
-50.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$2.01 $2.01
$10.73 ฿362
-81.27%
Cinema Ticket
$13.50 $13.50
$7.50 ฿253
80.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cleveland, OH
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,007 $1,007
$476 ฿16.1K
111.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.4K $18.4K
$11.3K ฿379.9K
63.19%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cleveland, OH
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.3 $61.3
$62.4 ฿2,103
-1.67%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.95 $38.95
$28.41 ฿958
37.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$99.0 $99.0
$94.3 ฿3,180
5.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 $119
$85.8 ฿2,894
38.12%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cleveland, OH
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,637 $1,637
$716 ฿24.1K
128.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,015 $1,015
$491 ฿16.6K
106.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,068 $3,068
$1,927 ฿65.0K
59.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,825 $1,825
$1,431 ฿48.3K
27.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,969 $1,969
$4,175 ฿140.8K
-52.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,439 $1,439
$3,045 ฿102.7K
-52.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cleveland, OH
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,644 $3,644
$502 ฿16.9K
625.41%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.59
5.57
18.31%

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

Last update for Cleveland, OH: October 24, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Cleveland, OH
$1K
Phuket
$491 51.6% $524
Groceries & Markets
Cleveland, OH
$406
Phuket
$266 34.5% $140
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cleveland, OH
$360
Phuket
$124 65.4% $235
Eating Out
Cleveland, OH
$310
Phuket
$122 60.7% $188
Clothing & Footwear
Cleveland, OH
$143
Phuket
$122 14.8% $21
Getting Around
Cleveland, OH
$115
Phuket
$71 38.4% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Cleveland, OH
$60
Phuket
$82 36.3% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,637 in Cleveland, OH versus $716 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 in Cleveland, OH are about 7.3 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Cleveland, OH versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $406 vs $266 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Cleveland, OH
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
13:25 1:25 PM
01:25 1:25 AM
12 h ahead of Cleveland, OH
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
367,991
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 November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Cleveland, OH Phuket 14,520 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Cleveland, OH
  • 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
Cleveland, OH vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Cleveland, OH?
Yes – Cleveland, OH is pricier by about 89%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,614 per month in Cleveland, OH and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,637 in Cleveland, OH.
Is eating out cheaper in Cleveland, OH or in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $62 in Cleveland, OH and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Cleveland, OH and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,409 in Cleveland, OH and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Phuket about 47% cheaper.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cleveland, OH or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Cleveland, OH at $2,409. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cleveland, OH it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Cleveland, OH or Phuket more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cleveland, OH makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Cleveland, OH vs other spots: cost of living compared

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