Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Delano, CA and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $2,645 in Delano, CA, rent and utilities included – about $16,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Delano, CA, United States
Phuket, Thailand
Delano, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,645
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,645 per month in Delano, CA vs $1,294 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Delano, CA $2,645
  • Phuket $1,294

A couple spends around $3,850 per month in Delano, CA vs $2,204 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Delano, CA $3,850
  • Phuket $2,204

A family of three spends $5,055 per month in Delano, CA vs $3,115 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Delano, CA $5,055
  • Phuket $3,115

Delano, CA costs about 104% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Delano, CA sits 96% above the global median, while Phuket is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Delano, CA
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.28 $19.28
$4.39 ฿147
339.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.4 $75.4
$32.31 ฿1,078
133.24%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.04 $11.04
$8.70 ฿290
26.90%
Cappuccino
$5.23 $5.23
$2.72 ฿90.9
92.28%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.57 $2.57
$0.93 ฿31.06
176.34%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 $2.04
$0.50 ฿16.67
308.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.10 $6.10
$2.53 ฿84.5
141.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.14 $7.14
$3.63 ฿121
96.69%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Delano, CA
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.03 $1.03
$1.74 ฿58.1
-40.80%
White Bread (500g)
$3.41 $3.41
$1.45 ฿48.42
135.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.22 $4.22
$1.50 ฿50.1
181.33%
Eggs
$4.11 $4.11
$2.17 ฿72.5
89.40%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.47 $12.47
$19.09 ฿637
-34.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.64 $11.64
$3.40 ฿113
242.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.13 $15.13
$10.90 ฿364
38.81%
Apples (1kg)
$4.99 $4.99
$2.94 ฿98.2
69.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 $1.64
$1.69 ฿56.5
-2.96%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$2.19 ฿73.2
98.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.76 $4.76
$2.12 ฿70.9
124.53%
Potato (1kg)
$2.80 $2.80
$1.46 ฿48.68
91.78%
Onion (1kg)
$2.84 $2.84
$1.37 ฿45.66
107.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.03 $2.03
$1.08 ฿35.91
87.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.15 $2.15
$0.55 ฿18.21
290.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.37 $9.37
$4.43 ฿148
111.51%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.87 $13.87
$18.25 ฿609
-24.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.77 ฿59.2
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.34 $3.34
$2.88 ฿96.2
15.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Delano, CA
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.45 ฿48.32
36.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.5 $60.5
$54.9 ฿1,832
10.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.46 $3.46
$1.51 ฿50.5
129.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 $1.63
$0.78 ฿25.90
108.97%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.46 $29.46
$3.84 ฿128
667.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 $0.88
$1.49 ฿49.65
-40.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.8K $29.8K
$26.9K ฿897.3K
10.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$26.3K ฿879.4K
-3.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delano, CA
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$190 $190
$97.8 ฿3,265
94.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.3 $52.3
$11.29 ฿377
362.89%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.7 $68.7
$17.19 ฿574
299.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Delano, CA
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$42.16 $42.16
$68.3 ฿2,281
-38.30%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.92 ฿365
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.68 $13.68
$7.43 ฿248
84.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Delano, CA
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,278 $1,278
$530 ฿17.7K
140.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.0K $23.0K
$18.8K ฿626.9K
22.54%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Delano, CA
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.5 $51.5
$61.7 ฿2,059
-16.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.15 $40.15
$28.25 ฿943
42.12%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.1 $88.1
$96.0 ฿3,204
-8.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 $110
$86.8 ฿2,898
26.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Delano, CA
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,594 $1,594
$721 ฿24.1K
121.02%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,355 $1,355
$509 ฿17.0K
166.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,634 $2,634
$1,950 ฿65.1K
35.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,204 $2,204
$1,397 ฿46.6K
57.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,731 $2,731
$4,192 ฿139.9K
-34.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,428 $2,428
$3,298 ฿110.1K
-26.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Delano, CA
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$492 ฿16.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.51
5.57
16.88%

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

Last update for Delano, CA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Delano, CA
$1.4K
Phuket
$509 62.4% $846
Groceries & Markets
Delano, CA
$386
Phuket
$267 30.8% $119
Eating Out
Delano, CA
$313
Phuket
$120 61.8% $194
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Delano, CA
$311
Phuket
$126 59.4% $185
Clothing & Footwear
Delano, CA
$130
Phuket
$123 5.8% $7.5
Getting Around
Delano, CA
$80
Phuket
$66 17.4% $14
Sport & Entertainment
Delano, CA
$70
Phuket
$83 19.7% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,594 in Delano, CA versus $721 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $75 in Delano, CA versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $386 vs $267 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Delano, CA
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
07:47 7:47 AM
22:47 10:47 PM
15 h ahead of Delano, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
53,819
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.38 THB (100 THB = 3 USD). 1 EUR = 37.51 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Delano, CA Phuket 13,770 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Delano, 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
Delano, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Delano, CA?
Yes – Delano, CA is pricier by about 104%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,967 per month in Delano, CA and $1,940 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $721 there versus $1,594 in Delano, CA.
What are total monthly expenses in Delano, CA and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,645 in Delano, CA and $1,294 in Phuket. That makes Phuket about 51% cheaper.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 9% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Delano, CA or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Delano, CA at $2,645. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Delano, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Delano, CA or Phuket more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
For expats, Phuket is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 51% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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