Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lauderdale, FL and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Lauderdale, FL and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,341 per month in Fort Lauderdale, FL vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,011 per month in Fort Lauderdale, FL vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,682 per month in Fort Lauderdale, FL vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Fort Lauderdale, FL costs about 171% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Fort Lauderdale, FL sits 149% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.86 $20.86

$4.63 ฿151

350.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 $109

$46.84 ฿1,532

131.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.42 $10.42

$8.84 ฿289

17.87%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$3.00 ฿98.0

68.67%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$0.74 ฿24.25

256.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.37 ฿11.95

486.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$2.44 ฿79.8

144.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 $6.56

$3.61 ฿118

81.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$2.26 ฿73.9

-57.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.84 ฿60.1

122.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.24 ฿73.4

54.02%

Eggs

$3.81 $3.81

$2.32 ฿75.7

64.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.75 $11.75

$19.67 ฿643

-40.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.59 $9.59

$3.65 ฿119

162.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.90 $18.90

$13.10 ฿428

44.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 $5.66

$3.39 ฿111

66.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.64 ฿53.7

-3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.41 ฿79.0

79.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$2.03 ฿66.4

159.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.56 ฿50.9

126.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.50 ฿48.94

125.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.02 ฿33.50

122.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.49 ฿16.00

308.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 $10.10

$4.45 ฿145

126.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.57 $10.57

$18.88 ฿617

-44.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.78 ฿58.1

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$2.75 ฿90.1

1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.40 ฿45.81

65.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.8 $71.8

$11.48 ฿376

525.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 $4.41

$3.12 ฿102

41.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.00 ฿32.67

58.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.07 $22.07

$14.09 ฿461

56.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.35 ฿44.19

-33.33%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

-3.83%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-24.54%

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

$170 $170

$125 ฿4,087

36.40%

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

$59.8 $59.8

$13.57 ฿444

340.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$18.52 ฿606

272.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.3 $76.3

$61.5 ฿2,010

24.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.21 $13.21

$16.84 ฿551

-21.56%

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 $15.26

$9.19 ฿300

66.05%

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

$810 $810

$698 ฿22.8K

15.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K $15.7K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

0.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.60 $46.60

$57.8 ฿1,889

-19.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.76 $44.76

$35.24 ฿1,152

27.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 $89.7

$113 ฿3,699

-20.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.5 $94.5

$86.4 ฿2,825

9.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 $2,276

$616 ฿20.1K

269.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,962 $1,962

$446 ฿14.6K

339.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,766 $3,766

$2,048 ฿67.0K

83.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,571 $3,571

$1,492 ฿48.8K

139.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,278 $5,278

$3,779 ฿123.6K

39.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,028 $4,028

$2,649 ฿86.6K

52.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,508 $4,508

$524 ฿17.1K

760.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.33

22.51%

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

Last update for Fort Lauderdale, FL: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,276 in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $616 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 761% higher in Fort Lauderdale, FL, 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 $109 in Fort Lauderdale, FL versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $387 vs $292 – 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

Fort Lauderdale, FL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Lauderdale, FL costs about 171% 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 $5,011 per month in Fort Lauderdale, FL and $1,847 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.

Kindergarten costs $810 per month in Fort Lauderdale, FL and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Fort Lauderdale, FL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Fort Lauderdale, FL at $3,341. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Lauderdale, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $3,341 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. 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, Fort Lauderdale, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.