Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Smith, AR and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Smith, AR and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,969 in Fort Smith, AR versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,022 in Fort Smith, AR versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,074 in Fort Smith, AR versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Fort Smith, AR is roughly 60% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Smith, AR is 44% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.91 $19.91

$4.41 ฿147

351.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.1 $65.1

$32.26 ฿1,077

101.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.68 $11.68

$8.93 ฿298

30.80%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$2.90 ฿96.6

77.59%

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

$2.28 $2.28

$0.88 ฿29.38

159.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.48 ฿16.06

325.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.03 $6.03

$2.35 ฿78.5

156.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.46 $8.46

$3.72 ฿124

127.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.87 ฿62.3

-45.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.47 ฿48.94

125.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.55 ฿51.8

120.00%

Eggs

$2.89 $2.89

$2.10 ฿70.1

37.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.29 $7.29

$19.59 ฿654

-62.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.86 $10.86

$3.42 ฿114

217.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.25 $18.25

$11.38 ฿380

60.37%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.98 ฿99.6

52.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.68 ฿56.2

-13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.21 ฿73.7

15.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.16 ฿72.1

-0.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.52 ฿50.9

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.34 ฿44.67

17.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.13 ฿37.67

55.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.55 ฿18.24

309.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.19 $8.19

$4.26 ฿142

92.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$19.09 ฿637

-19.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.78 ฿59.4

5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.78 ฿92.9

-4.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.23 ฿74.4

-44.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.36 $34.36

$22.74 ฿759

51.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$3.03 ฿101

-11.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.02 ฿34.15

20.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.37 $30.37

$3.89 ฿130

680.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.49 ฿49.77

-48.32%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-3.66%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-4.72%

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

$280 $280

$102 ฿3,420

172.89%

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

$69.8 $69.8

$11.33 ฿378

515.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$17.40 ฿581

291.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.42 $26.42

$52.1 ฿1,738

-49.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.72 $15.72

$11.07 ฿370

42.01%

Cinema Ticket

$13.63 $13.63

$7.69 ฿257

77.24%

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

$905 $905

$561 ฿18.7K

61.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

102.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$63.0 ฿2,104

-16.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.82 $38.82

$29.52 ฿986

31.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.0 $93.0

$98.0 ฿3,272

-5.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 $75.8

$88.5 ฿2,954

-14.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$672 $672

$738 ฿24.6K

-9.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 $648

$482 ฿16.1K

34.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 $1,525

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-27.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 $1,297

$1,226 ฿40.9K

5.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,554 $1,554

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-57.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,543 $1,543

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-40.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,157 $3,157

$494 ฿16.5K

539.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

5.57

8.44%

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

Last update for Fort Smith, AR: September 15, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $672 in Fort Smith, AR and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Smith, AR pays 540% 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: $65.0 in Fort Smith, AR vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 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 Smith, AR vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 60% lower than in Fort Smith, AR. 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 540% higher in Fort Smith, AR, 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: $672 in Fort Smith, AR versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,969 per month in Fort Smith, AR versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 51% less than in Fort Smith, AR. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,969 in Fort Smith, AR, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Fort Smith, AR. 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 Smith, AR 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 60% less than in Fort Smith, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.