Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Denver and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,595 per month in Denver vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,731 per month in Denver vs $2,078 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,867 per month in Denver vs $2,896 in Phuket, rent included.

Denver costs about 106% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Denver sits 89% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.13 A$21.25

$4.43 ฿145

241.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.0 A$136

$35.07 ฿1,151

176.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.73 A$15.06

$8.96 ฿294

19.75%

Cappuccino

$3.49 A$4.90

$3.00 ฿98.4

16.33%

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

$2.72 A$3.82

$0.77 ฿25.33

253.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 A$3.23

$0.47 ฿15.44

389.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.64 A$9.32

$2.40 ฿78.6

176.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 A$10.25

$3.75 ฿123

94.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 A$2.66

$1.82 ฿59.8

3.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.69 A$3.77

$1.42 ฿46.65

89.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 A$2.69

$1.55 ฿50.8

23.87%

Eggs

$4.38 A$6.14

$2.13 ฿69.9

105.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.75 A$13.70

$19.76 ฿648

-50.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 A$15.21

$3.48 ฿114

211.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.02 A$18.28

$11.09 ฿364

17.40%

Apples (1kg)

$3.96 A$5.55

$2.91 ฿95.5

36.08%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 A$4.36

$1.66 ฿54.6

87.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 A$4.26

$2.27 ฿74.5

33.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.12 A$7.18

$2.10 ฿68.8

143.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 A$3.21

$1.47 ฿48.24

55.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.45

$1.41 ฿46.29

74.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 A$4.05

$1.09 ฿35.78

165.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 A$2.42

$0.54 ฿17.58

218.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$35.13 A$49.33

$4.48 ฿147

684.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.86 A$20.87

$18.72 ฿614

-20.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.66 A$7.94

$1.84 ฿60.4

207.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 A$7.72

$2.95 ฿96.7

86.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 A$3.72

$2.26 ฿74.1

17.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.2 A$131

$23.07 ฿757

303.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 A$4.83

$3.04 ฿99.9

13.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 A$2.57

$1.09 ฿35.82

67.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.58 A$62.6

$3.82 ฿125

1067.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 A$1.54

$1.49 ฿48.79

-26.17%

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

$29.3K A$41.1K

$27.4K ฿900.3K

6.66%

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

$28.1K A$39.5K

$27.5K ฿902.7K

2.30%

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

$242 A$340

$102 ฿3,340

138.14%

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

$27.90 A$39.18

$11.28 ฿370

147.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.7 A$81.1

$17.75 ฿582

225.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 A$84.4

$54.2 ฿1,777

10.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.39 A$27.23

$10.96 ฿360

76.92%

Cinema Ticket

$15.50 A$21.77

$7.85 ฿258

97.45%

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

$2,033 A$2,855

$577 ฿18.9K

252.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.6K A$30.3K

$11.6K ฿381.6K

85.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.4 A$103

$65.4 ฿2,144

12.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.1 A$81.6

$28.89 ฿948

101.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 A$147

$99.1 ฿3,250

5.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 A$197

$90.3 ฿2,961

55.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,471 A$2,066

$756 ฿24.8K

94.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 A$1,986

$487 ฿16.0K

190.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,178 A$3,058

$2,085 ฿68.4K

4.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 A$2,319

$1,207 ฿39.6K

36.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,627 A$7,901

$3,591 ฿117.8K

56.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,431 A$6,222

$2,610 ฿85.6K

69.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.81

5.57

4.31%

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

Last update for Denver: August 16, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,471 in Denver versus $756 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 $97.0 in Denver versus $35.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $272 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Denver vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,595 in Denver, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 106% apart. Denver costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,893 per month in Denver and $1,891 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 304% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,033 per month in Denver and $577 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Denver at $2,595. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Denver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,261 in Phuket to $2,595 in Denver. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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