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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,520 in Fort Myers, FL versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,655 in Fort Myers, FL versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,790 in Fort Myers, FL versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Fort Myers, FL is roughly 178% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Myers, FL is 163% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.11 $20.11

$4.70 ฿153

327.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.8 $80.8

$45.37 ฿1,482

78.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.80 $10.80

$8.43 ฿275

28.11%

Cappuccino

$4.39 $4.39

$2.93 ฿95.6

49.83%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$0.69 ฿22.40

263.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.37 ฿11.99

437.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.41 ฿78.6

68.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 $5.93

$3.72 ฿122

59.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.11 $1.11

$2.23 ฿72.9

-50.22%

White Bread (500g)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.83 ฿59.8

126.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$2.17 ฿70.8

67.28%

Eggs

$4.40 $4.40

$2.21 ฿72.3

99.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 $12.99

$19.74 ฿645

-34.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.65 $11.65

$3.63 ฿119

220.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 $16.02

$13.53 ฿442

18.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$3.28 ฿107

82.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.61 ฿52.6

-3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.41 ฿78.6

75.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$2.08 ฿68.1

131.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.53 ฿49.93

128.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.48 ฿48.36

152.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.39 $2.39

$0.99 ฿32.29

141.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$0.51 ฿16.67

405.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.17 $8.17

$4.41 ฿144

85.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.32 $17.32

$19.38 ฿633

-10.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.78 ฿58.1

20.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.71 ฿88.6

27.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.37 ฿44.79

47.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.89 $36.89

$11.39 ฿372

223.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.02 ฿98.6

-18.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.99 ฿32.48

57.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.85 $29.85

$14.10 ฿461

111.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.36 ฿44.51

-31.62%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

4.89%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-24.44%

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

$170 $170

$122 ฿3,975

39.64%

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

$61.8 $61.8

$13.57 ฿443

355.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$18.31 ฿598

269.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.6 $52.6

$60.2 ฿1,967

-12.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.93 $9.93

$17.14 ฿560

-42.07%

Cinema Ticket

$14.95 $14.95

$8.69 ฿284

72.04%

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

$1,319 $1,319

$693 ฿22.6K

90.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.2K $14.2K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-9.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.32 $42.32

$59.5 ฿1,944

-28.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.25 $36.25

$34.77 ฿1,136

4.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 $83.3

$115 ฿3,743

-27.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.7 $87.7

$83.3 ฿2,720

5.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,915 $1,915

$613 ฿20.0K

212.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,167 $2,167

$437 ฿14.3K

395.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,145 $3,145

$2,094 ฿68.4K

50.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,800 $2,800

$1,509 ฿49.3K

85.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,685 $2,685

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-28.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,767 $2,767

$2,616 ฿85.4K

5.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,885 $3,885

$508 ฿16.6K

664.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

5.33

21.58%

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

Last update for Fort Myers, FL: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,915 in Fort Myers, FL and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Myers, FL pays 665% 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: $81.0 in Fort Myers, FL vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $421 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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 178% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Fort Myers, FL pays 665% more on average, 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: $1,915 in Fort Myers, FL versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Fort Myers, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $81.0 in Fort Myers, FL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,520 in Fort Myers, FL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Fort Myers, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fort Myers, FL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Fort Myers, FL 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 178% less than in Fort Myers, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.