😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,295 in Farmington, NM versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,390 in Farmington, NM versus $2,054 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,484 in Farmington, NM versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Farmington, NM is roughly 168% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Farmington, NM is 141% above, Phuket is 10% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Farmington, NM
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.78$19.78
$4.41฿147
348.53%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.49$49.49
$32.26฿1,077
53.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.04$12.04
$8.93฿298
34.83%
Cappuccino
$6.15$6.15
$2.90฿96.6
112.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.35$2.35
$0.88฿29.38
167.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75$1.75
$0.48฿16.06
264.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.04$8.04
$2.35฿78.5
242.13%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$13.43$13.43
$3.72฿124
261.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Farmington, NM
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.00$1.00
$1.87฿62.3
-46.52%
White Bread(500g)
$3.33$3.33
$1.47฿48.94
126.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.40$4.40
$1.55฿51.8
183.87%
Eggs
$4.23$4.23
$2.10฿70.1
101.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.26$7.26
$19.59฿654
-62.94%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.26$13.26
$3.42฿114
287.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.06$17.06
$11.38฿380
49.91%
Apples(1kg)
$3.08$3.08
$2.98฿99.6
3.36%
Banana(1kg)
$1.63$1.63
$1.68฿56.2
-2.98%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.43$4.43
$2.21฿73.7
100.45%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.56$4.56
$2.16฿72.1
111.11%
Potato(1kg)
$2.85$2.85
$1.52฿50.9
87.50%
Onion(1kg)
$3.02$3.02
$1.34฿44.67
125.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.21$2.21
$1.13฿37.67
95.58%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.32$2.32
$0.55฿18.24
321.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.88$9.88
$4.26฿142
131.92%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.77$14.77
$19.09฿637
-22.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71$1.71
$1.78฿59.4
-3.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98$2.98
$2.78฿92.9
7.19%
🚌 Getting Around
Farmington, NM
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.99$1.99
$2.23฿74.4
-10.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$29.76$29.76
$22.74฿759
30.87%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.61$2.61
$3.03฿101
-13.86%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.45$1.45
$1.02฿34.15
42.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$32.81$32.81
$3.89฿130
743.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95$0.95
$1.49฿49.77
-36.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.6K$35.6K
$26.6K฿887.3K
33.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.8K$26.8K
$27.0K฿902.2K
-0.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Farmington, NM
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$401$401
$102฿3,420
291.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$56.8$56.8
$11.33฿378
401.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$113$113
$17.40฿581
551.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Farmington, NM
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.33$41.33
$52.1฿1,738
-20.64%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.07฿370
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.68$15.68
$7.69฿257
103.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Farmington, NM
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,289$1,289
$561฿18.7K
129.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$25.4K$25.4K
$11.5K฿384.1K
121.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Farmington, NM
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.6$52.6
$63.0฿2,104
-16.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.00$41.00
$29.52฿986
38.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.8$87.8
$98.0฿3,272
-10.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116$116
$88.5฿2,954
31.45%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Farmington, NM
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,741$1,741
$738฿24.6K
135.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,731$1,731
$482฿16.1K
258.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,567$2,567
$2,107฿70.3K
21.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,486$2,486
$1,226฿40.9K
102.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,035$2,035
$3,617฿120.7K
-43.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,339$2,339
$2,603฿86.9K
-10.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Farmington, NM
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$7,141$7,141
$494฿16.5K
1346.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.12
5.57
9.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Farmington, NM: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,741 in Farmington, NM and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Farmington, NM pays 1347% 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: $49.00 in Farmington, NM vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $378 vs $274 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
Farmington, NM vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Farmington, NM or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 168% lower than in Farmington, NM. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Farmington, NM or in Phuket?
Average pay runs 1347% higher in Farmington, NM, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Farmington, NM compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,741 in Farmington, NM versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Farmington, NM and in Phuket?
Childcare runs $1,289 in Farmington, NM versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Farmington, NM or in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Farmington, NM. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Farmington, NM or in Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,295 in Farmington, NM, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Farmington, NM. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Farmington, NM or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Farmington, NM compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Farmington, NM 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 168% less than in Farmington, NM. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Farmington, NM vs other spots: cost of living compared