🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,168 in Fontainebleau versus $1,253 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,667 in Fontainebleau versus $2,043 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,165 in Fontainebleau versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Fontainebleau costs roughly 7% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Fontainebleau15% lower, Phuket9% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.26€15.75
$4.56฿151
300.44%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.7€59.3
$32.62฿1,082
110.61%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.17€12.23
$8.90฿295
59.21%
Cappuccino
$3.83€3.30
$2.80฿93.0
36.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29€2.84
$0.88฿29.19
273.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79€1.54
$0.49฿16.23
265.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.29€7.15
$2.39฿79.2
246.86%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.91€5.10
$3.71฿123
59.30%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.31€1.13
$1.79฿59.3
-26.82%
White Bread(500g)
$1.97€1.70
$1.44฿47.81
36.81%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.07€2.64
$1.58฿52.6
94.30%
Eggs
$4.38€3.78
$2.13฿70.5
105.63%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$22.53€19.44
$19.92฿661
13.10%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.70€10.96
$3.43฿114
270.26%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.55€20.32
$11.33฿376
107.86%
Apples(1kg)
$3.60€3.11
$2.95฿97.8
22.03%
Banana(1kg)
$2.26€1.95
$1.72฿57.1
31.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39€2.06
$2.32฿77.1
3.02%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.14€2.71
$2.08฿69.0
50.96%
Potato(1kg)
$1.98€1.71
$1.47฿48.77
34.69%
Onion(1kg)
$2.10€1.82
$1.36฿45.05
54.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.57€1.35
$1.10฿36.45
42.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.69€0.59
$0.57฿19.06
21.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.66€12.65
$4.27฿142
243.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.29€7.16
$18.42฿611
-54.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.45€2.12
$1.87฿62.1
31.02%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.45€3.84
$2.92฿96.9
52.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.22฿73.6
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.90฿759
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.26€1.95
$3.03฿101
-25.41%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.19€1.89
$1.07฿35.63
104.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$25.23€21.77
$3.93฿130
541.98%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.18€1.88
$1.49฿49.49
46.31%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.4K€30.5K
$27.1K฿899.8K
30.35%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$35.9K€31.0K
$27.5K฿910.6K
30.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$219€189
$103฿3,410
112.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.00€13.81
$10.99฿365
45.59%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.78€27.42
$17.51฿581
81.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$23.41€20.20
$53.5฿1,776
-56.27%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.87€11.97
$11.20฿371
23.84%
Cinema Ticket
$11.05€9.54
$7.48฿248
47.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$658€568
$557฿18.5K
18.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,402€7,250
$11.9K฿393.2K
-29.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.7€77.4
$64.1฿2,125
40.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.46€35.77
$29.07฿964
42.62%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104€89.9
$96.0฿3,183
8.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$104€90.1
$90.3฿2,997
15.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$968€835
$730฿24.2K
32.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$500฿16.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,718€1,483
$2,090฿69.3K
-17.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,460€1,260
$1,209฿40.1K
20.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,596฿119.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,512฿83.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,132€2,702
$503฿16.7K
522.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.5
5.57
-37.16%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Fontainebleau: August 31, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $968 in Fontainebleau and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Fontainebleau pays 522% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $69.0 in Fontainebleau vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $384 vs $273 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?
Fontainebleau wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fontainebleau the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Fontainebleau or in Phuket?
Average pay runs 522% 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: $968 in Fontainebleau versus $730 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?
Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 40% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Fontainebleau compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $1,168 per month in Fontainebleau versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Fontainebleau or in Phuket?
At $1,168 in Fontainebleau versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Fontainebleau but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Fontainebleau the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Fontainebleau or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Fontainebleau delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,168 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Fontainebleau 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 Fontainebleau gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Fontainebleau vs other spots: cost of living compared