😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,828 in Fontainebleau versus $1,250 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,754 in Fontainebleau versus $2,284 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,679 in Fontainebleau versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Fontainebleau is roughly 46% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Fontainebleau is 37% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.01€15.76
$4.55฿153
295.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.8€56.7
$46.18฿1,554
40.23%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.06€12.30
$8.84฿298
59.05%
Cappuccino
$3.63€3.18
$3.06฿103
18.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.18€2.78
$0.73฿24.42
335.62%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08€1.82
$0.40฿13.40
420.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.19€7.17
$2.43฿81.8
237.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88€5.14
$3.78฿127
55.56%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.48€1.29
$2.26฿76.0
-34.51%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80€1.57
$1.81฿60.9
-0.55%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.38€1.21
$2.25฿75.8
-38.67%
Eggs
$3.91€3.43
$2.25฿75.6
73.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$22.04€19.28
$19.51฿656
12.97%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.55€10.98
$3.65฿123
243.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.82€20.84
$13.05฿439
82.53%
Apples(1kg)
$3.71€3.25
$3.23฿109
14.86%
Banana(1kg)
$2.16€1.89
$1.62฿54.4
33.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.34€2.05
$2.38฿80.2
-1.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.19€2.79
$2.03฿68.2
57.14%
Potato(1kg)
$1.97€1.73
$1.53฿51.6
28.76%
Onion(1kg)
$2.04€1.78
$1.50฿50.5
36.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.57€1.37
$0.98฿32.93
60.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24€0.21
$0.52฿17.40
-53.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.98€10.49
$4.44฿149
169.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.12€7.10
$18.32฿616
-55.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.36€2.06
$1.86฿62.7
26.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.49€3.93
$2.68฿90.2
67.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.92€1.68
$1.41฿47.49
36.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$49.53€43.33
$11.70฿394
323.33%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.57€4.00
$3.11฿105
46.95%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.84€1.61
$1.04฿35.08
76.92%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$32.97€28.85
$14.11฿475
133.66%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.98€1.74
$1.31฿44.13
51.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.0K€25.4K
$27.8K฿936.0K
4.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.8K€27.0K
$33.2K฿1.1M
-7.20%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$200€175
$122฿4,120
63.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.14€14.99
$13.59฿457
26.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.83€25.22
$18.70฿629
54.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.17€32.52
$60.5฿2,035
-38.55%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.83€12.10
$16.98฿572
-18.55%
Cinema Ticket
$13.95€12.20
$9.07฿305
53.80%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$575€503
$706฿23.8K
-18.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,666€7,581
$15.8K฿531.8K
-45.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$88.6€77.5
$58.6฿1,970
51.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.14€32.50
$35.36฿1,190
5.03%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.8€75.1
$115฿3,885
-25.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105€91.5
$83.7฿2,818
24.91%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$768€672
$626฿21.1K
22.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$608€532
$445฿15.0K
36.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,391€1,217
$2,040฿68.7K
-31.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,087€951
$1,492฿50.2K
-27.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,483฿117.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,577฿86.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,763€2,417
$500฿16.8K
452.77%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.5
5.33
-34.33%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Fontainebleau: July 11, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Fontainebleau and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Fontainebleau pays 453% 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: $65.0 in Fontainebleau vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $367 vs $289 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
Fontainebleau vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fontainebleau or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Fontainebleau. 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 Fontainebleau or in Phuket?
Average pay runs 453% higher in Fontainebleau, 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 Fontainebleau compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $768 in Fontainebleau versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Fontainebleau or in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Fontainebleau. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Fontainebleau and in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $65.0 in Fontainebleau. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Fontainebleau or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,828 in Fontainebleau, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Fontainebleau. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Fontainebleau or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,250 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Fontainebleau compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Fontainebleau 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 46% less than in Fontainebleau. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Fontainebleau vs other spots: cost of living compared