Cost of Living Comparison Between Fayetteville, AR and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Fayetteville, AR and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,186 per month in Fayetteville, AR vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,372 per month in Fayetteville, AR vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,559 per month in Fayetteville, AR vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Fayetteville, AR costs about 73% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Fayetteville, AR sits 63% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.19 $16.19

$4.56 ฿150

255.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 $59.8

$46.63 ฿1,535

28.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.10 $9.10

$8.47 ฿279

7.44%

Cappuccino

$4.85 $4.85

$3.03 ฿99.7

60.07%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$0.69 ฿22.69

217.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.37 ฿12.04

267.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.49 ฿81.9

100.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$3.66 ฿120

65.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$2.18 ฿71.8

-55.96%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.90 ฿62.6

83.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.20 ฿72.4

41.36%

Eggs

$2.93 $2.93

$2.22 ฿73.2

31.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.35 $8.35

$19.99 ฿658

-58.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.62 $8.62

$3.66 ฿121

135.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$13.25 ฿436

0.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$3.23 ฿106

41.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.70 ฿55.9

-18.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.39 ฿78.8

10.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.08 ฿68.4

91.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.59 ฿52.4

18.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.48 ฿48.83

70.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.03 ฿33.90

41.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.52 ฿17.01

273.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.41 $8.41

$4.25 ฿140

97.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.29 $15.29

$18.79 ฿618

-18.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.76 ฿57.8

-7.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.76 ฿90.8

-21.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.36 ฿44.79

47.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.14 ฿103

-22.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.04 ฿34.10

23.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.15 $24.15

$13.77 ฿453

75.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.34 ฿44.26

-41.04%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$27.7K ฿911.1K

-13.66%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-24.18%

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

$174 $174

$124 ฿4,069

41.11%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$13.52 ฿445

289.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 $62.9

$18.69 ฿615

236.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 $71.0

$61.8 ฿2,035

14.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$12.70 $12.70

$9.14 ฿301

38.95%

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

$1,045 $1,045

$703 ฿23.1K

48.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.6K $18.6K

$15.9K ฿522.5K

17.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 $53.2

$59.5 ฿1,958

-10.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.05 $42.05

$35.07 ฿1,154

19.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$115 ฿3,795

-11.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$84.1 ฿2,767

34.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 $1,530

$619 ฿20.4K

147.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,038 $1,038

$433 ฿14.2K

139.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 $2,800

$2,062 ฿67.9K

35.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,106 $2,106

$1,511 ฿49.7K

39.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,619 $2,619

$3,646 ฿120.0K

-28.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,188 $2,188

$2,626 ฿86.4K

-16.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,593 $3,593

$507 ฿16.7K

608.59%

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 Fayetteville, AR: June 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,530 in Fayetteville, AR versus $619 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 609% higher in Fayetteville, AR, 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 $60.0 in Fayetteville, AR versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $321 vs $293 – 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

Fayetteville, AR vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,186 in Fayetteville, AR, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 73% apart. Fayetteville, AR costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,279 per month in Fayetteville, AR and $1,892 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 $60.0 in Fayetteville, AR and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Fayetteville, AR, 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 Fayetteville, AR at $2,186. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fayetteville, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,261 in Phuket to $2,186 in Fayetteville, AR. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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