Cost of Living Comparison Between Ellicott City, MD and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ellicott City, MD and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,640 per month in Ellicott City, MD vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,864 per month in Ellicott City, MD vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,088 per month in Ellicott City, MD vs $3,291 in Phuket, rent included.

Ellicott City, MD costs about 109% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.23 $20.23

$4.53 ฿153

346.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.3 $89.3

$46.36 ฿1,565

92.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 $10.07

$8.65 ฿292

16.42%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$3.09 ฿104

64.40%

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

$3.13 $3.13

$0.68 ฿22.89

360.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.37 ฿12.44

591.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.42 ฿81.6

153.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.81 $7.81

$3.81 ฿129

104.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$2.18 ฿73.5

-45.87%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.82 ฿61.3

91.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.18 ฿73.5

110.55%

Eggs

$4.41 $4.41

$2.24 ฿75.4

96.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 $17.39

$19.93 ฿673

-12.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.12 $10.12

$3.64 ฿123

178.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.99 $15.99

$13.56 ฿458

17.92%

Apples (1kg)

$6.84 $6.84

$3.29 ฿111

107.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.69 ฿56.9

69.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$2.33 ฿78.8

200.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.48 $5.48

$2.03 ฿68.4

169.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.60 ฿54.0

68.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.49 ฿50.5

97.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.01 ฿34.17

149.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.48 ฿16.09

460.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 $8.18

$4.45 ฿150

83.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.01 $15.01

$18.63 ฿629

-19.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.79 ฿60.3

30.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.80 ฿94.4

32.14%

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)

$1.82 $1.82

$3.09 ฿104

-41.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.04 ฿35.19

27.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.56 $23.56

$13.63 ฿460

72.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.31 ฿44.23

-35.88%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

-8.16%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-26.88%

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

$169 $169

$123 ฿4,157

37.50%

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

$52.7 $52.7

$13.81 ฿466

281.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 $80.5

$18.52 ฿625

334.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.18 $43.18

$60.4 ฿2,037

-28.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 $15.20

$8.89 ฿300

70.98%

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

$1,254 $1,254

$687 ฿23.2K

82.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.7K $33.7K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

116.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.56 $46.56

$57.6 ฿1,945

-19.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.41 $47.41

$34.66 ฿1,170

36.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 $84.9

$115 ฿3,879

-26.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$84.9 ฿2,865

31.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,618 $1,618

$618 ฿20.8K

162.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 $1,362

$443 ฿15.0K

207.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,670 $2,670

$2,047 ฿69.1K

30.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,209 $2,209

$1,506 ฿50.8K

46.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,611 $2,611

$2,511 ฿84.7K

3.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,039 $5,039

$503 ฿17.0K

902.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

5.33

23.26%

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

Last update for Ellicott City, MD: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,618 in Ellicott City, MD 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.

Salaries run about 902% higher in Ellicott City, MD, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in Ellicott City, MD versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $446 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

Ellicott City, MD vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ellicott City, MD is pricier by about 109%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,960 per month in Ellicott City, MD 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,640 in Ellicott City, MD and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,254 per month in Ellicott City, MD and $687 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 Ellicott City, MD at $2,640. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ellicott City, MD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Ellicott City, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.