😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,429 in Daytona Beach, FL versus $1,250 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,669 in Daytona Beach, FL versus $2,284 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,910 in Daytona Beach, FL versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Daytona Beach, FL is roughly 94% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Daytona Beach, FL is 82% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Daytona Beach, FL
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.13$20.13
$4.55฿153
342.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.4$74.4
$46.18฿1,553
61.07%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.15$10.15
$8.84฿297
14.82%
Cappuccino
$6.03$6.03
$3.06฿103
97.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19$2.19
$0.73฿24.40
200.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82$1.82
$0.40฿13.39
355.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.83$4.83
$2.43฿81.8
98.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.93$5.93
$3.78฿127
56.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Daytona Beach, FL
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05$1.05
$2.26฿76.0
-53.54%
White Bread(500g)
$3.05$3.05
$1.81฿60.9
68.51%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.72$2.72
$2.25฿75.8
20.89%
Eggs
$4.55$4.55
$2.25฿75.5
102.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.44$10.44
$19.51฿656
-46.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.71$11.71
$3.65฿123
220.82%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.03$12.03
$13.05฿439
-7.82%
Apples(1kg)
$5.73$5.73
$3.23฿109
77.40%
Banana(1kg)
$1.74$1.74
$1.62฿54.4
7.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.66$4.66
$2.38฿80.1
95.80%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.31$3.31
$2.03฿68.1
63.05%
Potato(1kg)
$2.38$2.38
$1.53฿51.6
55.56%
Onion(1kg)
$2.58$2.58
$1.50฿50.5
72.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.38$1.38
$0.98฿32.91
40.82%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.72$1.72
$0.52฿17.39
230.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.47$8.47
$4.44฿149
90.77%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.15$11.15
$18.32฿616
-39.14%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.07$2.07
$1.86฿62.7
11.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.69$2.69
$2.68฿90.1
0.37%
🚌 Getting Around
Daytona Beach, FL
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.71$1.71
$1.41฿47.46
21.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.47$39.47
$11.70฿393
237.35%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.56$3.56
$3.11฿105
14.47%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.59$1.59
$1.04฿35.06
52.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$25.35$25.35
$14.11฿474
79.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.81$0.81
$1.31฿44.10
-38.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.1K$25.1K
$27.8K฿935.4K
-9.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.3K$24.3K
$33.2K฿1.1M
-26.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Daytona Beach, FL
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$159$159
$122฿4,118
29.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.3$58.3
$13.59฿457
328.92%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$82.7$82.7
$18.70฿629
342.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Daytona Beach, FL
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.30$29.30
$60.5฿2,034
-51.56%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$24.90$24.90
$16.98฿571
46.64%
Cinema Ticket
$13.38$13.38
$9.07฿305
47.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Daytona Beach, FL
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$613$613
$706฿23.8K
-13.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.1K$23.1K
$15.8K฿531.5K
46.33%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Daytona Beach, FL
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.86$47.86
$58.6฿1,969
-18.26%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.1$52.1
$35.36฿1,189
47.43%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.3$80.3
$115฿3,883
-30.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.7$84.7
$83.7฿2,816
1.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Daytona Beach, FL
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,407$1,407
$626฿21.0K
124.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,249$1,249
$445฿15.0K
180.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,471$2,471
$2,040฿68.6K
21.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,159$2,159
$1,492฿50.2K
44.71%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,571$2,571
$3,483฿117.1K
-26.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,679$2,679
$2,577฿86.7K
3.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Daytona Beach, FL
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,295$3,295
$500฿16.8K
559.22%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.63
5.33
24.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Daytona Beach, FL: July 12, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,407 in Daytona Beach, FL and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Daytona Beach, FL pays 559% 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: $74.0 in Daytona Beach, FL vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $347 vs $289 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
Daytona Beach, FL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Daytona Beach, FL or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 94% lower than in Daytona Beach, FL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Daytona Beach, FL or in Phuket?
Average pay runs 559% higher in Daytona Beach, FL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Daytona Beach, FL compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,407 in Daytona Beach, FL versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Daytona Beach, FL or in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Daytona Beach, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Daytona Beach, FL and in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $74.0 in Daytona Beach, FL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Daytona Beach, FL or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,429 in Daytona Beach, FL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Daytona Beach, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Daytona Beach, FL or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,250 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Daytona Beach, FL compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Daytona Beach, FL 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 94% less than in Daytona Beach, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Daytona Beach, FL vs other spots: cost of living compared