Cost of Living Comparison Between Frederick, MD and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Frederick, MD and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,627 in Frederick, MD versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,960 in Frederick, MD versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,293 in Frederick, MD versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Frederick, MD is roughly 110% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Frederick, MD is 97% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.71 $19.71

$4.55 ฿153

333.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$46.18 ฿1,553

73.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.78 $9.78

$8.84 ฿297

10.63%

Cappuccino

$4.73 $4.73

$3.06 ฿103

54.58%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$0.73 ฿24.40

284.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$0.40 ฿13.39

437.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.99 $5.99

$2.43 ฿81.8

146.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.03 $7.03

$3.78 ฿127

85.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.26 ฿76.0

-59.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.81 ฿60.9

75.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.44 $5.44

$2.25 ฿75.8

141.78%

Eggs

$3.36 $3.36

$2.25 ฿75.5

49.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 $12.27

$19.51 ฿656

-37.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.93 $10.93

$3.65 ฿123

199.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.63 $16.63

$13.05 ฿439

27.43%

Apples (1kg)

$7.57 $7.57

$3.23 ฿109

134.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 $1.84

$1.62 ฿54.4

13.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$2.38 ฿80.1

184.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$2.03 ฿68.1

232.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.53 ฿51.6

123.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.50 ฿50.5

78.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.98 ฿32.91

131.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.52 ฿17.39

367.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.54 $10.54

$4.44 ฿149

137.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.60 $16.60

$18.32 ฿616

-9.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.86 ฿62.7

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.68 ฿90.1

86.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.41 ฿47.46

43.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.11 ฿105

24.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 ฿35.06

20.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.34 $29.34

$14.11 ฿474

107.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.31 ฿44.10

-37.40%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

5.40%

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

$25.0K $25.0K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-24.77%

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

$114 $114

$122 ฿4,118

-7.15%

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

$48.49 $48.49

$13.59 ฿457

256.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.3 $71.3

$18.70 ฿629

281.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.21 $42.21

$60.5 ฿2,034

-30.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 $15.02

$9.07 ฿305

65.60%

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

$1,761 $1,761

$706 ฿23.8K

149.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.2K $24.2K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

53.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.17 $37.17

$58.6 ฿1,969

-36.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.96 $39.96

$35.36 ฿1,189

13.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.7 $93.7

$115 ฿3,883

-18.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.1 $98.1

$83.7 ฿2,816

17.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,666 $1,666

$626 ฿21.0K

166.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 $1,473

$445 ฿15.0K

230.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,897 $2,897

$2,040 ฿68.6K

42.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,627 $2,627

$1,492 ฿50.2K

76.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,447 $2,447

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-29.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,183 $2,183

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-15.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,934 $4,934

$500 ฿16.8K

887.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.32

5.33

18.57%

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

Last update for Frederick, MD: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,666 in Frederick, MD and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Frederick, MD pays 887% 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: $80.0 in Frederick, MD vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $433 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

Frederick, MD vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Frederick, MD and Phuket differ by about 110% in total monthly costs ($2,627 vs $1,250 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 887% higher in Frederick, MD, 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: $1,666 in Frederick, MD versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 50% higher in Frederick, MD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,627 per month in Frederick, MD versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,627 in Frederick, MD, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Frederick, MD. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Frederick, MD 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 110% less than in Frederick, MD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.