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: $1,783 in Fort Smith, AR versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,712 in Fort Smith, AR versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,641 in Fort Smith, AR versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Fort Smith, AR is roughly 43% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Fort Smith, AR is 33% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.15 $15.15

$4.55 ฿153

232.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.5 $50.5

$46.18 ฿1,553

9.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.32 $8.32

$8.84 ฿297

-5.88%

Cappuccino

$4.11 $4.11

$3.06 ฿103

34.31%

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

$2.27 $2.27

$0.73 ฿24.40

210.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.40 ฿13.39

390.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.43 ฿81.8

60.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.78 ฿127

59.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.26 ฿76.0

-53.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.81 ฿60.9

59.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.25 ฿75.8

-11.11%

Eggs

$2.90 $2.90

$2.25 ฿75.5

28.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.66 $7.66

$19.51 ฿656

-60.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.39 $9.39

$3.65 ฿123

157.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.45 $14.45

$13.05 ฿439

10.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.23 ฿109

37.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.62 ฿54.4

-23.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.38 ฿80.1

5.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.03 ฿68.1

8.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.53 ฿51.6

4.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.50 ฿50.5

0.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.98 ฿32.91

80.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.52 ฿17.39

273.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.79 $6.79

$4.44 ฿149

52.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.04 $15.04

$18.32 ฿616

-17.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.86 ฿62.7

-6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.68 ฿90.1

-5.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.41 ฿47.46

-9.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.43 $35.43

$11.70 ฿393

202.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.11 ฿105

-1.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.04 ฿35.06

21.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.83 $35.83

$14.11 ฿474

153.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.72 $0.72

$1.31 ฿44.10

-45.04%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-6.93%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-22.63%

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

$239 $239

$122 ฿4,118

94.81%

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

$56.1 $56.1

$13.59 ฿457

312.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.5 $72.5

$18.70 ฿629

287.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.73 $26.73

$60.5 ฿2,034

-55.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.11 $16.11

$16.98 ฿571

-5.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.08 $11.08

$9.07 ฿305

22.16%

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

$752 $752

$706 ฿23.8K

6.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

49.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 $51.6

$58.6 ฿1,969

-11.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.54 $33.54

$35.36 ฿1,189

-5.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.1 $70.1

$115 ฿3,883

-39.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.8 $75.8

$83.7 ฿2,816

-9.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$690 $690

$626 ฿21.0K

10.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$670 $670

$445 ฿15.0K

50.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,465 $1,465

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-28.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 $1,299

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-12.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,547 $1,547

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-55.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,514 $1,514

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-41.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,135 $3,135

$500 ฿16.8K

527.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.33

21.01%

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

Last update for Fort Smith, AR: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $690 in Fort Smith, AR and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Smith, AR pays 527% 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: $50.0 in Fort Smith, AR vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $305 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 Smith, AR vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 43% 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 527% 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: $690 in Fort Smith, AR versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,783 per month in Fort Smith, AR versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 203% less than in Fort Smith, AR. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,783 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 $1,250 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 43% less than in Fort Smith, AR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.