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 $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,423 in El Dorado, AR versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,150 in El Dorado, AR versus $3,291 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 27% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.72 $17.72

$4.53 ฿153

291.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 $59.6

$46.36 ฿1,565

28.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.56 $11.56

$8.65 ฿292

33.64%

Cappuccino

$4.88 $4.88

$3.09 ฿104

57.93%

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

$2.79 $2.79

$0.68 ฿22.89

310.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.37 ฿12.44

556.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.42 ฿81.6

107.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.03 $6.03

$3.81 ฿129

58.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.18 ฿73.5

-50.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.82 ฿61.3

86.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.18 ฿73.5

41.74%

Eggs

$2.98 $2.98

$2.24 ฿75.4

33.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 $9.44

$19.93 ฿673

-52.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.71 $11.71

$3.64 ฿123

221.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.69 $16.69

$13.56 ฿458

23.08%

Apples (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$3.29 ฿111

30.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.69 ฿56.9

-13.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.33 ฿78.8

23.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.03 ฿68.4

96.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.60 ฿54.0

-6.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.49 ฿50.5

67.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.01 ฿34.17

95.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.48 ฿16.09

277.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.26 $8.26

$4.45 ฿150

85.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.22 $12.22

$18.63 ฿629

-34.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.79 ฿60.3

-6.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.80 ฿94.4

-22.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.42 ฿47.90

42.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.09 ฿104

-17.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.04 ฿35.19

48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.15 $24.15

$13.63 ฿460

77.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.31 ฿44.23

-44.27%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

-11.95%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-22.19%

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

$134 $134

$123 ฿4,157

9.07%

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

$58.4 $58.4

$13.81 ฿466

323.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$40.46 $40.46

$18.52 ฿625

118.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.86 $42.86

$60.4 ฿2,037

-28.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 $9.07

$8.89 ฿300

2.02%

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

$1,026 $1,026

$687 ฿23.2K

49.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K $19.2K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

23.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 $53.4

$57.6 ฿1,945

-7.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 $35.22

$34.66 ฿1,170

1.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.1 $81.1

$115 ฿3,879

-29.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.0 $61.0

$84.9 ฿2,865

-28.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 $1,589

$618 ฿20.8K

157.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$622 $622

$443 ฿15.0K

40.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,173 $2,173

$2,047 ฿69.1K

6.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$817 $817

$1,506 ฿50.8K

-45.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,778 $2,778

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-22.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,646 $2,646

$2,511 ฿84.7K

5.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,156 $4,156

$503 ฿17.0K

726.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

5.33

23.45%

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

Last update for El Dorado, AR: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,589 in El Dorado, AR and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

El Dorado, AR pays 727% 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: $60.0 in El Dorado, AR vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $292 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 727% 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: $1,589 in El Dorado, AR versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% 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 $1,261 in Phuket – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 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.