Cost of Living Comparison Between College Park, MD and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between College Park, MD and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,468 per month in College Park, MD vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,819 per month in College Park, MD vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,169 per month in College Park, MD vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

College Park, MD costs about 177% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

College Park, MD sits 152% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.17 $19.17

$4.56 ฿152

320.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.6 $89.6

$32.62 ฿1,086

174.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.68 $10.68

$8.90 ฿296

20.00%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$2.80 ฿93.4

80.71%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$0.88 ฿29.31

221.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.49 ฿16.29

359.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.73 $6.73

$2.39 ฿79.5

181.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.16 $8.16

$3.71 ฿124

119.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.79 ฿59.5

-37.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$1.44 ฿48.00

145.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$1.58 ฿52.8

249.37%

Eggs

$4.85 $4.85

$2.13 ฿70.8

127.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$19.92 ฿663

-36.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$3.43 ฿114

268.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.24 $23.24

$11.33 ฿377

105.12%

Apples (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$2.95 ฿98.2

121.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.72 ฿57.3

-10.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.30 $7.30

$2.32 ฿77.4

214.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$2.08 ฿69.3

163.94%

Potato (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$1.47 ฿48.96

229.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.36 ฿45.22

147.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.10 ฿36.59

128.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.57 ฿19.13

315.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$4.27 ฿142

223.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$18.42 ฿613

-17.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.87 ฿62.3

-4.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.92 ฿97.3

25.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.22 ฿73.9

34.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿762

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.79 $1.79

$3.03 ฿101

-40.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.07 ฿35.77

30.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.98 $23.98

$3.93 ฿131

510.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.49 ฿49.68

-38.26%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$27.1K ฿903.4K

31.60%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.5K ฿914.1K

-7.95%

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

$216 $216

$103 ฿3,423

110.30%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$10.99 ฿366

386.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.3 $81.3

$17.51 ฿583

364.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.80 $40.80

$53.5 ฿1,783

-23.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$7.48 ฿249

98.26%

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

$1,964 $1,964

$557 ฿18.5K

252.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K $34.9K

$11.9K ฿394.7K

194.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 $51.6

$64.1 ฿2,134

-19.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.04 $48.04

$29.07 ฿968

65.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.7 $90.7

$96.0 ฿3,195

-5.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$90.3 ฿3,008

46.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,295 $2,295

$730 ฿24.3K

214.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,092 $2,092

$500 ฿16.6K

318.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,830 $3,830

$2,090 ฿69.6K

83.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,154 $3,154

$1,209 ฿40.3K

160.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,326 $6,326

$503 ฿16.8K

1156.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

5.57

11.85%

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

Last update for College Park, MD: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,295 in College Park, MD versus $730 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 1157% higher in College Park, MD, 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 $90.0 in College Park, MD versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $464 vs $273 – 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

College Park, MD vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,468 in College Park, MD, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 177% apart. College Park, MD costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,202 per month in College Park, MD and $1,880 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,468 in College Park, MD and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,964 per month in College Park, MD and $557 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in College Park, MD at $3,468. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in College Park, MD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,253 in Phuket to $3,468 in College Park, MD. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, College Park, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.