Cost of Living Comparison Between Eliot, ME and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Eliot, ME and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,818 per month in Eliot, ME vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,984 per month in Eliot, ME vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,150 per month in Eliot, ME vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Eliot, ME costs about 129% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Eliot, ME sits 106% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.79 $17.79

$4.41 ฿147

303.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.9 $50.9

$32.26 ฿1,074

57.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.06 $9.06

$8.93 ฿297

1.46%

Cappuccino

$4.88 $4.88

$2.90 ฿96.4

68.28%

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

$1.86 $1.86

$0.88 ฿29.30

111.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.48 ฿16.01

206.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.04 $8.04

$2.35 ฿78.3

242.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.92 $8.92

$3.72 ฿124

139.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.87 ฿62.1

-39.57%

White Bread (500g)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.47 ฿48.81

195.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$1.55 ฿51.7

335.48%

Eggs

$5.96 $5.96

$2.10 ฿70.0

183.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.81 $14.81

$19.59 ฿652

-24.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$3.42 ฿114

307.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.79 $18.79

$11.38 ฿379

65.11%

Apples (1kg)

$7.35 $7.35

$2.98 ฿99.3

146.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.68 ฿56.1

12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$2.21 ฿73.5

158.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.34 $7.34

$2.16 ฿72.0

239.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$1.52 ฿50.8

143.42%

Onion (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$1.34 ฿44.55

206.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.13 ฿37.57

150.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$0.55 ฿18.19

443.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.34 $12.34

$4.26 ฿142

189.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.73 $16.73

$19.09 ฿635

-12.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$1.78 ฿59.2

70.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.61 $5.61

$2.78 ฿92.6

101.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.23 ฿74.2

-11.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 $2.66

$3.03 ฿101

-12.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.02 ฿34.06

73.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.47 $27.47

$3.89 ฿130

606.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.49 ฿49.63

-27.52%

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

$36.1K $36.1K

$26.6K ฿884.9K

35.97%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$27.0K ฿899.8K

-6.06%

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

$262 $262

$102 ฿3,411

155.50%

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

$45.20 $45.20

$11.33 ฿377

298.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$17.40 ฿579

336.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.10 $41.10

$52.1 ฿1,734

-21.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$15.60 $15.60

$7.69 ฿256

102.86%

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

$2,875 $2,875

$561 ฿18.7K

412.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.3K $35.3K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

206.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.5 $73.5

$63.0 ฿2,098

16.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.46 $48.46

$29.52 ฿983

64.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$98.0 ฿3,263

18.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 $166

$88.5 ฿2,946

87.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,563 $1,563

$738 ฿24.6K

111.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,280 $1,280

$482 ฿16.1K

165.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,515 $2,515

$2,107 ฿70.1K

19.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,169 $2,169

$1,226 ฿40.8K

76.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,601 $2,601

$3,617 ฿120.4K

-28.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,532 $2,532

$2,603 ฿86.7K

-2.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

5.57

12.75%

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

Last update for Eliot, ME: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,563 in Eliot, ME versus $738 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 $51.0 in Eliot, ME versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $510 vs $274 – 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

Eliot, ME vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Eliot, ME costs about 129% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,226 per month in Eliot, ME and $1,847 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Eliot, ME and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 86% more in Eliot, ME, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Eliot, ME at $2,818. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Eliot, ME it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,818 in Eliot, ME. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Eliot, ME makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.