Cost of Living Comparison Between Fontana, CA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Fontana, CA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,460 per month in Fontana, CA vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,199 per month in Fontana, CA vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,938 per month in Fontana, CA vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.

Fontana, CA costs about 173% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Fontana, CA sits 158% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.84 $17.84

$4.66 ฿150

282.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$46.44 ฿1,496

74.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.18 $12.18

$8.68 ฿280

40.32%

Cappuccino

$5.11 $5.11

$2.95 ฿95.0

73.22%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$0.70 ฿22.52

302.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.39 ฿12.70

484.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.05 $7.05

$2.53 ฿81.6

178.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$3.78 ฿122

82.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$2.22 ฿71.5

-47.30%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$1.80 ฿57.8

122.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$2.19 ฿70.4

115.53%

Eggs

$4.95 $4.95

$2.31 ฿74.5

114.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.98 $11.98

$19.34 ฿623

-38.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.31 $16.31

$3.77 ฿121

332.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.66 $15.66

$13.22 ฿426

18.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$3.33 ฿107

32.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.65 ฿53.1

17.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.29 ฿73.7

96.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$1.99 ฿64.1

181.91%

Potato (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$1.53 ฿49.24

190.20%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$1.51 ฿48.77

111.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.03 ฿33.12

39.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.51 ฿16.57

327.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.05 $11.05

$4.41 ฿142

150.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.99 $15.99

$19.41 ฿625

-17.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.80 ฿58.0

11.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.68 ฿86.4

32.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.43 ฿46.11

44.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.63 $45.63

$11.70 ฿377

290.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.65 $6.65

$3.04 ฿97.9

118.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.04 ฿33.37

322.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.76 $29.76

$13.68 ฿441

117.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.30 ฿41.85

-5.38%

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

$23.7K $23.7K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

-14.91%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-25.89%

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

$264 $264

$123 ฿3,962

114.43%

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

$53.0 $53.0

$13.82 ฿445

283.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$18.86 ฿608

219.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.56 $42.56

$61.2 ฿1,970

-30.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$14.21 $14.21

$8.87 ฿286

60.20%

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

$1,193 $1,193

$696 ฿22.4K

71.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

44.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.63 $46.63

$59.3 ฿1,910

-21.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.11 $34.11

$34.85 ฿1,123

-2.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.4 $89.4

$113 ฿3,646

-21.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.4 $89.4

$85.1 ฿2,740

5.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 $1,961

$615 ฿19.8K

218.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,101 $2,101

$448 ฿14.4K

368.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,203 $3,203

$2,085 ฿67.2K

53.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,768 $3,768

$1,496 ฿48.2K

151.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,129 $5,129

$534 ฿17.2K

861.30%

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 Fontana, CA: April 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,961 in Fontana, CA versus $615 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 861% higher in Fontana, CA, 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 $81 in Fontana, CA versus $46 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $435 vs $291 – 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

Fontana, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fontana, CA costs about 173% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,191 per month in Fontana, CA and $1,904 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,460 in Fontana, CA and $1,270 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 290% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,270, than in Fontana, CA at $3,460. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fontana, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,270 versus $3,460 in Fontana, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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