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 $2,641 per month in Eliot, ME vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,784 per month in Eliot, ME vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,926 per month in Eliot, ME vs $3,291 in Phuket, rent included.

Eliot, ME costs about 109% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Eliot, ME sits 98% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.90 $17.90

$4.53 ฿153

295.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 $50.6

$46.36 ฿1,565

9.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.85 $8.85

$8.65 ฿292

2.31%

Cappuccino

$4.06 $4.06

$3.09 ฿104

31.39%

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

$1.91 $1.91

$0.68 ฿22.89

180.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.37 ฿12.44

316.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.87 $5.87

$2.42 ฿81.6

142.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$3.81 ฿129

80.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.18 ฿73.5

-58.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.82 ฿61.3

90.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$2.18 ฿73.5

161.93%

Eggs

$3.69 $3.69

$2.24 ฿75.4

64.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.85 $18.85

$19.93 ฿673

-5.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.50 $13.50

$3.64 ฿123

270.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.51 $19.51

$13.56 ฿458

43.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$3.29 ฿111

17.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.69 ฿56.9

-13.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.33 ฿78.8

68.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.03 ฿68.4

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.60 ฿54.0

95.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.49 ฿50.5

65.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.01 ฿34.17

84.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.48 ฿16.09

243.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.77 $12.77

$4.45 ฿150

186.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.14 $16.14

$18.63 ฿629

-13.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.79 ฿60.3

-6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.80 ฿94.4

17.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.42 ฿47.90

44.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.09 ฿104

-3.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.04 ฿35.19

70.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.76 $29.76

$13.63 ฿460

118.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.31 ฿44.23

-35.88%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

27.47%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-23.70%

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

$190 $190

$123 ฿4,157

54.20%

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

$44.33 $44.33

$13.81 ฿466

221.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 $65.1

$18.52 ฿625

251.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.77 $43.77

$60.4 ฿2,037

-27.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 $15.26

$8.89 ฿300

71.65%

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

$1,705 $1,705

$687 ฿23.2K

148.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.4K $30.4K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

95.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.15 $47.15

$57.6 ฿1,945

-18.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.45 $33.45

$34.66 ฿1,170

-3.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 $87.3

$115 ฿3,879

-24.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$84.9 ฿2,865

90.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$618 ฿20.8K

154.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,337 $1,337

$443 ฿15.0K

201.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,618 $2,618

$2,047 ฿69.1K

27.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,238 $2,238

$1,506 ฿50.8K

48.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,628 $2,628

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-26.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,558 $2,558

$2,511 ฿84.7K

1.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

5.33

23.83%

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

Last update for Eliot, ME: July 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in Eliot, ME versus $618 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $417 vs $292 – 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 109% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,961 per month in Eliot, ME 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in Eliot, ME and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $1,261, than in Eliot, ME at $2,641. 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 $1,261 versus $2,641 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.