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: $3,499 in Fort Myers, FL versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,627 in Fort Myers, FL versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,755 in Fort Myers, FL versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Fort Myers, FL is roughly 180% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Myers, FL is 162% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.15 $20.15

$4.55 ฿153

342.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 $78.8

$46.18 ฿1,554

70.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.90 $10.90

$8.84 ฿298

23.30%

Cappuccino

$4.44 $4.44

$3.06 ฿103

45.10%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$0.73 ฿24.42

254.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.40 ฿13.40

422.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.43 ฿81.8

63.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.10 $6.10

$3.78 ฿127

61.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$2.26 ฿76.0

-49.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 $3.99

$1.81 ฿60.9

120.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.25 ฿75.8

53.33%

Eggs

$4.25 $4.25

$2.25 ฿75.6

88.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.21 $13.21

$19.51 ฿656

-32.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.52 $11.52

$3.65 ฿123

215.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.75 $15.75

$13.05 ฿439

20.69%

Apples (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$3.23 ฿109

80.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.62 ฿54.4

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.38 ฿80.2

81.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.03 ฿68.2

137.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.53 ฿51.6

133.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.50 ฿50.5

150.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.98 ฿32.93

139.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.52 ฿17.40

373.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.84 $7.84

$4.44 ฿149

76.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.76 $16.76

$18.32 ฿616

-8.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.86 ฿62.7

15.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.68 ฿90.2

23.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.41 ฿47.49

39.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.07 $38.07

$11.70 ฿394

225.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.11 ฿105

-21.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.04 ฿35.08

51.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.09 $30.09

$14.11 ฿475

113.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.31 ฿44.13

-28.24%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

7.16%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-23.70%

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

$168 $168

$122 ฿4,120

37.18%

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

$63.7 $63.7

$13.59 ฿457

368.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$18.70 ฿629

251.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 $53.1

$60.5 ฿2,035

-12.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.10 $10.10

$16.98 ฿572

-40.52%

Cinema Ticket

$14.77 $14.77

$9.07 ฿305

62.84%

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

$1,301 $1,301

$706 ฿23.8K

84.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K $13.9K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-12.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.34 $41.34

$58.6 ฿1,970

-29.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.91 $36.91

$35.36 ฿1,190

4.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 $83.4

$115 ฿3,885

-27.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.2 $87.2

$83.7 ฿2,818

4.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 $1,927

$626 ฿21.1K

208.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,207 $2,207

$445 ฿15.0K

395.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,166 $3,166

$2,040 ฿68.7K

55.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,794 $2,794

$1,492 ฿50.2K

87.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,700 $2,700

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-22.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,676 $2,676

$2,577 ฿86.7K

3.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,832 $3,832

$500 ฿16.8K

666.62%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,927 in Fort Myers, FL and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Myers, FL pays 667% 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: $79.0 in Fort Myers, FL vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $415 vs $289 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 180% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 667% higher in Fort Myers, FL, 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: $1,927 in Fort Myers, FL versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% 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 $46.00 versus $79.0 in Fort Myers, FL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $3,499 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 180% less than in Fort Myers, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.