Cost of Living Comparison Between Covington, LA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Covington, LA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,828 in Covington, LA versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,128 in Covington, LA versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,429 in Covington, LA versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Covington, LA is roughly 126% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Covington, LA is 106% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.75 $25.75

$4.56 ฿150

464.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$93.5 $93.5

$32.62 ฿1,072

186.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.19 $12.19

$8.90 ฿293

36.97%

Cappuccino

$3.10 $3.10

$2.80 ฿92.2

10.71%

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

$1.80 $1.80

$0.88 ฿28.93

104.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.49 ฿16.08

193.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.39 ฿78.5

70.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.71 ฿122

36.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.79 ฿58.7

-25.14%

White Bread (500g)

$4.26 $4.26

$1.44 ฿47.38

195.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$1.58 ฿52.1

293.04%

Eggs

$5.10 $5.10

$2.13 ฿69.9

139.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$19.92 ฿655

-74.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.40 $7.40

$3.43 ฿113

115.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$11.33 ฿372

23.21%

Apples (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$2.95 ฿96.9

75.25%

Banana (1kg)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.72 ฿56.6

-51.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.32 ฿76.4

42.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.53 $5.53

$2.08 ฿68.4

165.87%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.47 ฿48.33

86.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.36 ฿44.64

103.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.10 ฿36.12

97.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$0.57 ฿18.89

356.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.75 $8.75

$4.27 ฿140

104.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.04 $17.04

$18.42 ฿605

-7.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.87 ฿61.5

36.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.92 ฿96.0

38.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.03 ฿99.6

13.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.07 ฿35.31

35.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.40 $34.40

$3.93 ฿129

775.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.49 ฿49.04

-40.27%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

28.85%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-7.03%

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

$261 $261

$103 ฿3,379

153.41%

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

$71.3 $71.3

$10.99 ฿361

548.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$17.51 ฿576

321.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.5 $64.5

$53.5 ฿1,760

20.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$10.17 $10.17

$7.48 ฿246

35.96%

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

$1,593 $1,593

$557 ฿18.3K

186.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K $10.3K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-13.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.64 $45.64

$64.1 ฿2,106

-28.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.40 $42.40

$29.07 ฿956

45.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.3 $86.3

$96.0 ฿3,154

-10.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$90.3 ฿2,970

31.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 $1,673

$730 ฿24.0K

129.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 $1,454

$500 ฿16.4K

190.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,188 $3,188

$2,090 ฿68.7K

52.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,425 $2,425

$1,209 ฿39.7K

100.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,775 $6,775

$3,596 ฿118.2K

88.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,998 $3,998

$2,512 ฿82.6K

59.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,790 $4,790

$503 ฿16.5K

851.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

5.57

8.98%

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

Last update for Covington, LA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,673 in Covington, LA and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Covington, LA pays 852% 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: $94.0 in Covington, LA vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $273 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

Covington, LA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 126% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 852% higher in Covington, LA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,673 in Covington, LA versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Covington, LA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,828 per month in Covington, LA versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 126% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,828 in Covington, LA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Covington, LA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Covington, LA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Covington, LA 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 126% less than in Covington, LA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.