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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,179 in Dayton, OH versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,182 in Dayton, OH versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,185 in Dayton, OH versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Dayton, OH is roughly 72% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Dayton, OH is 63% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.83 $16.83

$4.70 ฿154

258.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 $60.8

$45.37 ฿1,489

33.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.43 ฿277

18.27%

Cappuccino

$4.20 $4.20

$2.93 ฿96.1

43.34%

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

$2.37 $2.37

$0.69 ฿22.50

243.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$0.37 ฿12.04

372.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.41 ฿79.0

81.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 $6.03

$3.72 ฿122

62.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$2.23 ฿73.3

-64.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.83 ฿60.1

33.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.17 ฿71.1

69.12%

Eggs

$3.52 $3.52

$2.21 ฿72.6

59.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$19.74 ฿648

-42.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.48 $18.48

$3.63 ฿119

409.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.58 $15.58

$13.53 ฿444

15.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.28 ฿108

51.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.61 ฿52.9

1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$2.41 ฿79.0

134.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.27 $5.27

$2.08 ฿68.4

153.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.53 ฿50.2

88.89%

Onion (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.48 ฿48.58

114.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.99 ฿32.44

110.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$0.51 ฿16.74

445.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.35 $9.35

$4.41 ฿145

112.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 $12.08

$19.38 ฿636

-37.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.78 ฿58.4

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 $3.84

$2.71 ฿89.0

41.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.20 $4.20

$1.37 ฿44.99

206.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.1 $59.1

$11.39 ฿374

418.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.02 ฿99.1

63.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.99 ฿32.63

43.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.3 $50.3

$14.10 ฿463

256.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.36 ฿44.71

-37.50%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

3.61%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-21.26%

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

$201 $201

$122 ฿3,993

65.46%

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

$44.98 $44.98

$13.57 ฿445

231.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.1 $63.1

$18.31 ฿601

244.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.96 $33.96

$60.2 ฿1,976

-43.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.75 $44.75

$17.14 ฿562

161.09%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 $12.87

$8.69 ฿285

48.10%

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

$544 $544

$693 ฿22.8K

-21.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,017 $5,017

$15.7K ฿514.7K

-68.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.32 $46.32

$59.5 ฿1,953

-22.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.9 $51.9

$34.77 ฿1,141

49.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 $72.8

$115 ฿3,760

-36.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$83.3 ฿2,733

27.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 $1,182

$613 ฿20.1K

92.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$929 $929

$437 ฿14.3K

112.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 $1,680

$2,094 ฿68.7K

-19.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 $1,364

$1,509 ฿49.5K

-9.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,447 $1,447

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-44.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,298 $3,298

$508 ฿16.7K

549.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.33

22.70%

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

Last update for Dayton, OH: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,182 in Dayton, OH and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dayton, OH pays 549% 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: $61.0 in Dayton, OH vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $293 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

Dayton, OH vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 72% lower than in Dayton, OH. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Dayton, OH pays 549% more on average, 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: $1,182 in Dayton, OH versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,179 per month in Dayton, OH versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 419% less than in Dayton, OH. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,179 in Dayton, OH, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Dayton, OH. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Dayton, OH 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 72% less than in Dayton, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.