Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Collins, CO and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Collins, CO and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,675 in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,067 in Fort Collins, CO versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,459 in Fort Collins, CO versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Fort Collins, CO is roughly 117% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Collins, CO is 96% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.21 $22.21

$4.41 ฿147

403.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 $79.6

$32.26 ฿1,077

146.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 $10.95

$8.93 ฿298

22.62%

Cappuccino

$6.06 $6.06

$2.90 ฿96.6

108.97%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$0.88 ฿29.38

186.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.48 ฿16.06

352.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.85 $6.85

$2.35 ฿78.5

191.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 $7.08

$3.72 ฿124

90.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.87 ฿62.3

-46.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.47 ฿48.94

100.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.55 ฿51.8

77.42%

Eggs

$4.36 $4.36

$2.10 ฿70.1

107.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.84 $10.84

$19.59 ฿654

-44.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.21 $10.21

$3.42 ฿114

198.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.54 $20.54

$11.38 ฿380

80.49%

Apples (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$2.98 ฿99.6

76.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.68 ฿56.2

-10.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.21 ฿73.7

126.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.16 ฿72.1

145.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.52 ฿50.9

128.29%

Onion (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.34 ฿44.67

241.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.13 ฿37.67

104.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$0.55 ฿18.24

210.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.79 $9.79

$4.26 ฿142

129.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.05 $18.05

$19.09 ฿637

-5.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.78 ฿59.4

43.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.78 ฿92.9

-1.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.43 $2.43

$3.03 ฿101

-19.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.02 ฿34.15

85.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.75 $24.75

$3.89 ฿130

536.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.49 ฿49.77

-30.87%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

35.41%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-8.09%

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

$213 $213

$102 ฿3,420

108.30%

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

$55.7 $55.7

$11.33 ฿378

391.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$17.40 ฿581

306.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.9 $53.9

$52.1 ฿1,738

3.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.07 $30.07

$11.07 ฿370

171.64%

Cinema Ticket

$12.22 $12.22

$7.69 ฿257

58.91%

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

$1,315 $1,315

$561 ฿18.7K

134.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K $12.4K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

7.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.9 $60.9

$63.0 ฿2,104

-3.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$67.5 $67.5

$29.52 ฿986

128.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 $80.1

$98.0 ฿3,272

-18.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$88.5 ฿2,954

31.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 $1,861

$738 ฿24.6K

152.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,371 $1,371

$482 ฿16.1K

184.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,735 $2,735

$2,107 ฿70.3K

29.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,478 $2,478

$1,226 ฿40.9K

102.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,041 $3,041

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-15.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,003 $3,003

$2,603 ฿86.9K

15.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,390 $4,390

$494 ฿16.5K

789.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.08

5.57

9.16%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Fort Collins, CO: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,861 in Fort Collins, CO and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Collins, CO pays 789% 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: $80.0 in Fort Collins, CO vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $274 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

Fort Collins, CO vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 117% lower than in Fort Collins, CO. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 789% higher in Fort Collins, CO, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,861 in Fort Collins, CO versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Fort Collins, CO. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,675 per month in Fort Collins, CO versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 117% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,675 in Fort Collins, CO, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Fort Collins, CO. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Fort Collins, CO 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 117% less than in Fort Collins, CO. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.