😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,222 in Florence, KY versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,377 in Florence, KY versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,533 in Florence, KY versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Florence, KY is roughly 76% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Florence, KY is 65% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Florence, KY
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.65$17.65
$4.56฿149
287.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.7$76.7
$46.63฿1,519
64.46%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.04$10.04
$8.47฿276
18.54%
Cappuccino
$4.27$4.27
$3.03฿98.6
40.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23$2.23
$0.69฿22.45
223.19%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96$1.96
$0.37฿11.92
429.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.06$6.06
$2.49฿81.0
143.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.83$6.83
$3.66฿119
86.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Florence, KY
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.77$0.77
$2.18฿71.0
-64.68%
White Bread(500g)
$2.82$2.82
$1.90฿62.0
48.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.81$3.81
$2.20฿71.6
73.18%
Eggs
$3.09$3.09
$2.22฿72.4
39.19%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.16$10.16
$19.99฿651
-49.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.26$9.26
$3.66฿119
153.01%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.24$14.24
$13.25฿432
7.47%
Apples(1kg)
$4.64$4.64
$3.23฿105
43.65%
Banana(1kg)
$1.44$1.44
$1.70฿55.3
-15.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.95$3.95
$2.39฿78.0
65.27%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.04$5.04
$2.08฿67.7
142.31%
Potato(1kg)
$2.02$2.02
$1.59฿51.8
27.04%
Onion(1kg)
$2.72$2.72
$1.48฿48.31
83.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.88$1.88
$1.03฿33.54
82.52%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.42$1.42
$0.52฿16.83
173.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.88$8.88
$4.25฿138
108.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.39$15.39
$18.79฿612
-18.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.01$2.01
$1.76฿57.2
14.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84$1.84
$2.76฿89.8
-33.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Florence, KY
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.96$1.96
$1.36฿44.32
44.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$63.9$63.9
$11.36฿370
462.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.74$2.74
$3.14฿102
-12.74%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.22$1.22
$1.04฿33.74
17.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$25.43$25.43
$13.77฿448
84.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.83$0.83
$1.34฿43.79
-38.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K$34.9K
$27.7K฿901.4K
26.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K$25.1K
$33.9K฿1.1M
-25.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Florence, KY
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$202$202
$124฿4,025
63.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$55.9$55.9
$13.52฿440
313.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.8$59.8
$18.69฿609
219.85%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Florence, KY
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$17.76$17.76
$61.8฿2,013
-71.27%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.63$13.63
$9.14฿298
49.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Florence, KY
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,247$1,247
$703฿22.9K
77.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.3K$13.3K
$15.9K฿517.0K
-16.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Florence, KY
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.48$48.48
$59.5฿1,937
-18.47%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.44$44.44
$35.07฿1,142
26.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.8$89.8
$115฿3,754
-22.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.3$98.3
$84.1฿2,737
17.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Florence, KY
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,296$1,296
$619฿20.1K
109.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,068$1,068
$433฿14.1K
146.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,189$2,189
$2,062฿67.2K
6.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,850$1,850
$1,511฿49.2K
22.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,904$1,904
$3,646฿118.7K
-47.77%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,236$1,236
$2,626฿85.5K
-52.93%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Florence, KY
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,491$3,491
$507฿16.5K
588.56%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.54
5.33
22.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Florence, KY: June 9, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,296 in Florence, KY and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Florence, KY pays 589% 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: $77.0 in Florence, KY vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $336 vs $293 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
Florence, KY vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Florence, KY?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Florence, KY or Phuket?
Florence, KY pays 589% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Florence, KY and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,296 in Florence, KY versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Florence, KY and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Florence, KY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Florence, KY or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $77.0 in Florence, KY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Florence, KY or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,222 in Florence, KY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Florence, KY. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Florence, KY or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Florence, KY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Florence, KY or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Florence, KY 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Florence, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Florence, KY vs other spots: cost of living compared