Cost of Living Comparison Between El Dorado, AR and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between El Dorado, AR and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,697 in El Dorado, AR versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,490 in El Dorado, AR versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,283 in El Dorado, AR versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in El Dorado, AR is roughly 35% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: El Dorado, AR is 23% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.33 $17.33

$4.56 ฿150

280.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.9 $58.9

$32.62 ฿1,072

80.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.09 $11.09

$8.90 ฿293

24.61%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$2.80 ฿92.2

84.64%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$0.88 ฿28.93

247.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$0.49 ฿16.08

393.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.39 ฿78.5

107.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.46 $6.46

$3.71 ฿122

74.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.79 ฿58.7

-41.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.44 ฿47.38

88.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.58 ฿52.1

78.48%

Eggs

$3.42 $3.42

$2.13 ฿69.9

60.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.96 $9.96

$19.92 ฿655

-50.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.00 $12.00

$3.43 ฿113

249.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.26 $22.26

$11.33 ฿372

96.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.95 ฿96.9

53.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.72 ฿56.6

-13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.32 ฿76.4

21.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.08 ฿68.4

89.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.47 ฿48.33

7.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.36 ฿44.64

81.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.10 ฿36.12

80.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$0.57 ฿18.89

224.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.25 $9.25

$4.27 ฿140

116.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 $11.90

$18.42 ฿605

-35.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.87 ฿61.5

-5.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.92 ฿96.0

-42.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.22 ฿72.9

-5.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.03 ฿99.6

-18.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.07 ฿35.31

36.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.25 $24.25

$3.93 ฿129

517.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.49 ฿49.04

-39.60%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

37.23%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-7.23%

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

$134 $134

$103 ฿3,379

30.73%

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

$58.9 $58.9

$10.99 ฿361

435.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.30 $39.30

$17.51 ฿576

124.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.29 $42.29

$53.5 ฿1,760

-21.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$9.25 $9.25

$7.48 ฿246

23.66%

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

$1,045 $1,045

$557 ฿18.3K

87.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K $19.0K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

60.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.3 $50.3

$64.1 ฿2,106

-21.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.70 $34.70

$29.07 ฿956

19.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.7 $79.7

$96.0 ฿3,154

-17.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.9 $60.9

$90.3 ฿2,970

-32.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 $1,518

$730 ฿24.0K

107.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 $661

$500 ฿16.4K

32.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,865 $1,865

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-10.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$944 $944

$1,209 ฿39.7K

-21.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,632 $2,632

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-26.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,452 $2,452

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-2.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,116 $4,116

$503 ฿16.5K

717.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

5.57

12.21%

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

Last update for El Dorado, AR: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,518 in El Dorado, AR and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Dorado, AR pays 718% 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: $59.0 in El Dorado, AR vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $357 vs $273 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

El Dorado, AR vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 718% higher in El Dorado, AR, 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: $1,518 in El Dorado, AR versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in El Dorado, AR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,697 per month in El Dorado, AR versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $1,697 in El Dorado, AR, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in El Dorado, AR. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in El Dorado, AR, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, El Dorado, AR 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 35% less than in El Dorado, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.