Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Davis, CA and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $3,316 in Davis, CA, rent and utilities included – about $24,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

161

Cost of Living Index in Davis, CA
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Davis, CA Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Davis, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,316

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,316 per month in Davis, CA vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Davis, CA $3,316
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $4,712 per month in Davis, CA vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Davis, CA $4,712
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $6,107 per month in Davis, CA vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Davis, CA $6,107
Phuket $3,154

Davis, CA costs about 160% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Davis, CA sits 144% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.69 $22.69

$4.47 ฿151

407.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$32.41 ฿1,094

207.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 $12.87

$8.81 ฿297

46.08%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$2.83 ฿95.4

77.39%

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

$3.57 $3.57

$0.87 ฿29.42

310.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.49 ฿16.66

381.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$2.56 ฿86.3

214.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 $8.15

$3.68 ฿124

121.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.66 ฿56.0

-19.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.46 ฿49.32

160.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.50 ฿50.5

180.00%

Eggs

$5.11 $5.11

$2.09 ฿70.5

144.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 $11.06

$19.07 ฿643

-42.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.66 $15.66

$3.30 ฿111

374.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.26 $17.26

$10.91 ฿368

58.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$2.93 ฿98.9

75.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.69 ฿57.0

-2.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.25 ฿75.8

92.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$2.08 ฿70.1

129.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.51 ฿51.0

83.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.38 ฿46.54

123.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.07 ฿35.97

113.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.52 ฿17.51

326.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.67 $10.67

$4.20 ฿142

154.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 $16.12

$18.79 ฿634

-14.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.82 ฿61.5

20.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.84 ฿95.9

20.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.45 ฿49.00

2.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.27 $37.27

$56.7 ฿1,912

-34.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.02 ฿102

12.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.02 ฿34.34

49.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.75 $29.75

$3.69 ฿125

706.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.47 ฿49.78

-5.44%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$26.8K ฿903.7K

3.27%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.7K ฿900.8K

-6.14%

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

$289 $289

$96.4 ฿3,252

200.22%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$11.26 ฿380

419.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 $77.6

$16.85 ฿569

360.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.16 $43.16

$67.2 ฿2,269

-35.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$15.40 $15.40

$7.50 ฿253

105.33%

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

$1,391 $1,391

$476 ฿16.1K

192.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$11.3K ฿380.1K

119.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

$62.4 ฿2,105

-12.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.13 $41.13

$28.41 ฿959

44.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 $94.9

$94.3 ฿3,182

0.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$85.8 ฿2,896

34.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,743 $1,743

$716 ฿24.2K

143.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 $1,836

$491 ฿16.6K

273.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,453 $3,453

$1,927 ฿65.0K

79.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$1,431 ฿48.3K

99.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,834 $2,834

$4,175 ฿140.9K

-32.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,209 $4,209

$3,045 ฿102.8K

38.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,088 $5,088

$502 ฿17.0K

913.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

5.57

9.52%

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

Last update for Davis, CA: 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

Davis, CA

$1.8K 55.4%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 73.3% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Davis, CA

$429 12.9%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 37.9% $163

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Davis, CA

$425 12.8%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 70.7% $301

Eating Out

Davis, CA

$361 10.9%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 66.3% $239

Clothing & Footwear

Davis, CA

$137 4.1%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 11.3% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Davis, CA

$74 2.2%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 11.2% $8.3

Getting Around

Davis, CA

$54 1.6%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 30.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,743 in Davis, CA 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 Davis, CA are about 10 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Davis, CA versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $429 vs $266 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Davis, CA

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

04:12 4:12 AM

19:12 7:12 PM

15 h ahead of Davis, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,850

79,308

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

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 = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Davis, CA Phuket 13,390 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Davis, CA
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

Davis, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Davis, CA is pricier by about 160%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,975 per month in Davis, CA and $1,917 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,743 in Davis, CA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,316 in Davis, CA and $1,278 in Phuket. That makes Phuket about 61% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Davis, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Davis, CA at $3,316. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Davis, CA 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 cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Davis, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.