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 $2,987 per month in College Park, MD vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,464 per month in College Park, MD vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,940 per month in College Park, MD vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

College Park, MD costs about 136% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

College Park, MD sits 123% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.69 $19.69

$4.70 ฿153

318.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$45.37 ฿1,482

79.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.13 $13.13

$8.43 ฿275

55.75%

Cappuccino

$5.55 $5.55

$2.93 ฿95.6

89.42%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$0.69 ฿22.40

302.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$0.37 ฿11.99

529.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.41 ฿78.6

142.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.65 $7.65

$3.72 ฿122

105.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.23 ฿72.9

-59.19%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.83 ฿59.8

83.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.30 $7.30

$2.17 ฿70.8

236.41%

Eggs

$4.95 $4.95

$2.21 ฿72.3

123.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.79 $18.79

$19.74 ฿645

-4.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.20 $10.20

$3.63 ฿119

180.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.18 $16.18

$13.53 ฿442

19.59%

Apples (1kg)

$6.37 $6.37

$3.28 ฿107

94.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.61 ฿52.6

8.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.93 $7.93

$2.41 ฿78.6

229.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$2.08 ฿68.1

222.12%

Potato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$1.53 ฿49.93

218.30%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.48 ฿48.36

142.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.99 ฿32.29

129.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$0.51 ฿16.67

368.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.40 $11.40

$4.41 ฿144

158.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 $13.88

$19.38 ฿633

-28.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.78 ฿58.1

-3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.71 ฿88.6

42.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.37 ฿44.79

49.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.42 $4.42

$3.02 ฿98.6

46.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.99 ฿32.48

53.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.43 $29.43

$14.10 ฿461

108.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.36 ฿44.51

-36.03%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-5.77%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-23.90%

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

$221 $221

$122 ฿3,975

81.86%

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

$63.8 $63.8

$13.57 ฿443

369.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$18.31 ฿598

299.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.02 $40.02

$60.2 ฿1,967

-33.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$15.17 $15.17

$8.69 ฿284

74.57%

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

$1,761 $1,761

$693 ฿22.6K

153.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

55.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 $54.4

$59.5 ฿1,944

-8.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.85 $31.85

$34.77 ฿1,136

-8.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 $97.2

$115 ฿3,743

-15.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$178 $178

$83.3 ฿2,720

114.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 $1,668

$613 ฿20.0K

171.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 $1,593

$437 ฿14.3K

264.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,555 $3,555

$2,094 ฿68.4K

69.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,765 $2,765

$1,509 ฿49.3K

83.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$508 ฿16.6K

1173.33%

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 College Park, MD: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,668 in College Park, MD 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 1173% 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 $81.0 in College Park, MD versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $459 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,987 in College Park, MD, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 136% apart. College Park, MD costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,480 per month in College Park, MD 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,987 in College Park, MD and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,761 per month in College Park, MD and $693 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 $1,265, than in College Park, MD at $2,987. 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 $1,265 in Phuket to $2,987 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.