😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,781 in Fontainebleau versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,751 in Fontainebleau versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,722 in Fontainebleau versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Fontainebleau is roughly 41% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Fontainebleau is 33% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.01€15.51
$4.70฿154
283.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.6€54.8
$45.37฿1,483
40.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.02€12.07
$8.43฿276
66.31%
Cappuccino
$3.68€3.17
$2.93฿95.7
25.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.32€2.86
$0.69฿22.42
381.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14€1.84
$0.37฿12.00
478.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.11€6.98
$2.41฿78.7
236.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.87€5.05
$3.72฿122
57.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.54€1.32
$2.23฿73.0
-30.94%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81€1.56
$1.83฿59.9
-1.09%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.42€1.22
$2.17฿70.9
-34.56%
Eggs
$3.94€3.39
$2.21฿72.4
78.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$22.13€19.06
$19.74฿645
12.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.57€10.83
$3.63฿119
246.28%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$23.71€20.42
$13.53฿442
75.24%
Apples(1kg)
$3.63€3.13
$3.28฿107
10.67%
Banana(1kg)
$2.28€1.96
$1.61฿52.7
41.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.48€2.14
$2.41฿78.7
2.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.22€2.77
$2.08฿68.1
54.81%
Potato(1kg)
$1.92€1.65
$1.53฿49.97
25.49%
Onion(1kg)
$2.05€1.77
$1.48฿48.41
38.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.58€1.36
$0.99฿32.32
59.60%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.24€0.21
$0.51฿16.68
-52.94%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.21€10.51
$4.41฿144
176.87%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.24€7.10
$19.38฿634
-57.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40€2.07
$1.78฿58.1
34.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.29€3.69
$2.71฿88.7
58.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.92€1.65
$1.37฿44.83
40.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$48.89€42.10
$11.39฿372
329.24%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.65€4.01
$3.02฿98.7
53.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.80€1.55
$0.99฿32.51
81.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$32.18€27.71
$14.10฿461
128.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$2.07€1.79
$1.36฿44.55
52.21%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.5K€24.6K
$28.2K฿921.9K
1.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.1K€26.8K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-5.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$193€166
$122฿3,978
58.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$17.15€14.77
$13.57฿444
26.38%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$29.74€25.61
$18.31฿599
62.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$37.79€32.54
$60.2฿1,969
-37.25%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.00€12.05
$17.14฿560
-18.32%
Cinema Ticket
$13.67€11.77
$8.69฿284
57.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$566€487
$693฿22.7K
-18.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,531€7,346
$15.7K฿512.8K
-45.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.5€78.0
$59.5฿1,946
52.07%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.53€31.46
$34.77฿1,137
5.06%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.0€73.2
$115฿3,746
-25.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$105€90.0
$83.3฿2,723
25.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$783€674
$613฿20.0K
27.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$605€521
$437฿14.3K
38.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,395€1,201
$2,094฿68.5K
-33.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,067€919
$1,509฿49.3K
-29.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,040€3,479
$3,749฿122.6K
7.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,773€2,388
$2,616฿85.5K
6.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fontainebleau
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,837€2,443
$508฿16.6K
458.28%
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: May 31, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $783 in Fontainebleau and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Fontainebleau pays 458% 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: $64.0 in Fontainebleau vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $369 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
Fontainebleau vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fontainebleau or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 41% 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 Phuket?
Fontainebleau pays 458% more on average, 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 vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $783 in Fontainebleau versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Fontainebleau or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Fontainebleau. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How do dining costs compare in Fontainebleau vs Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $64.0 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 Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,781 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 $1,265 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 41% 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