Cost of Living Comparison Between Cleveland, OH and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cleveland, OH and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,501 per month in Cleveland, OH vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,611 per month in Cleveland, OH vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,722 per month in Cleveland, OH vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Cleveland, OH costs about 98% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cleveland, OH sits 87% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.05 $18.05

$4.70 ฿154

284.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 $54.7

$45.37 ฿1,483

20.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 $8.78

$8.43 ฿276

4.15%

Cappuccino

$5.52 $5.52

$2.93 ฿95.7

88.40%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$0.69 ฿22.42

217.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.37 ฿12.00

424.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.41 ฿78.7

65.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.42 $6.42

$3.72 ฿122

72.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$2.23 ฿73.0

-60.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.83 ฿59.9

62.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.17 ฿70.9

97.70%

Eggs

$4.10 $4.10

$2.21 ฿72.4

85.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.01 $10.01

$19.74 ฿645

-49.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.94 $11.94

$3.63 ฿119

228.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.87 $19.87

$13.53 ฿442

46.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$3.28 ฿107

34.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.61 ฿52.7

-4.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.41 ฿78.7

44.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.08 ฿68.1

94.23%

Potato (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.53 ฿49.97

165.36%

Onion (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$1.48 ฿48.41

227.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.65 $2.65

$0.99 ฿32.32

167.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.51 ฿16.68

364.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.63 $9.63

$4.41 ฿144

118.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$19.38 ฿634

-22.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.78 ฿58.1

12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.71 ฿88.7

9.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.37 ฿44.83

77.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.5 $96.5

$11.39 ฿372

746.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.02 ฿98.7

-11.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.99 ฿32.51

43.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.86 $25.86

$14.10 ฿461

83.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.36 ฿44.55

-35.29%

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

$34.1K $34.1K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

21.01%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-22.09%

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

$315 $315

$122 ฿3,978

159.15%

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

$48.26 $48.26

$13.57 ฿444

255.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.5 $63.5

$18.31 ฿599

246.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.16 $35.16

$60.2 ฿1,969

-41.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$13.27 $13.27

$8.69 ฿284

52.70%

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

$1,028 $1,028

$693 ฿22.7K

48.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K $18.6K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

18.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.5 $54.5

$59.5 ฿1,946

-8.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.90 $45.90

$34.77 ฿1,137

32.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 $111

$115 ฿3,746

-2.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$83.3 ฿2,723

66.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 $1,451

$613 ฿20.0K

136.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 $1,039

$437 ฿14.3K

137.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,776 $2,776

$2,094 ฿68.5K

32.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 $1,655

$1,509 ฿49.3K

9.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,598 $1,598

$3,749 ฿122.6K

-57.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,454 $1,454

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-44.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,372 $3,372

$508 ฿16.6K

563.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

5.33

23.26%

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

Last update for Cleveland, OH: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,451 in Cleveland, OH 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 564% higher in Cleveland, OH, 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 $55.0 in Cleveland, OH versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $394 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Yes – Cleveland, OH is pricier by about 98%, 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 $3,751 per month in Cleveland, OH 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 $55.0 in Cleveland, OH and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,501 in Cleveland, OH and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Cleveland, OH at $2,501. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cleveland, OH 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, Cleveland, OH makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.