Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Garland, TX and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,621 in Garland, TX, rent and utilities included – about $16,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Garland, TX, United States
Phuket, Thailand
Garland, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,621
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Garland, TX and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Garland, TX and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,621 per month in Garland, TX vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Garland, TX $2,621
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $3,788 per month in Garland, TX vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Garland, TX $3,788
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $4,954 per month in Garland, TX vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Garland, TX $4,954
  • Phuket $3,154

Garland, TX costs about 105% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Garland, TX sits 93% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Garland, TX
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.07 $18.07
$4.47 ฿151
304.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.1 $53.1
$32.41 ฿1,093
63.81%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.20 $10.20
$8.81 ฿297
15.78%
Cappuccino
$5.66 $5.66
$2.83 ฿95.4
100.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56 $2.56
$0.87 ฿29.41
194.25%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$0.49 ฿16.65
363.27%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.58 $5.58
$2.56 ฿86.3
117.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.57 $7.57
$3.68 ฿124
105.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Garland, TX
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.86 $0.86
$1.66 ฿55.9
-48.19%
White Bread (500g)
$3.91 $3.91
$1.46 ฿49.31
167.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.32 $5.32
$1.50 ฿50.5
254.67%
Eggs
$4.77 $4.77
$2.09 ฿70.5
128.23%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.49 $7.49
$19.07 ฿643
-60.72%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.84 $11.84
$3.30 ฿111
258.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.10 $19.10
$10.91 ฿368
75.07%
Apples (1kg)
$5.51 $5.51
$2.93 ฿98.9
88.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 $1.24
$1.69 ฿57.0
-26.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.12 $5.12
$2.25 ฿75.8
127.56%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.45 $4.45
$2.08 ฿70.0
113.94%
Potato (1kg)
$2.00 $2.00
$1.51 ฿51.0
32.45%
Onion (1kg)
$2.10 $2.10
$1.38 ฿46.52
52.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.14 $2.14
$1.07 ฿35.96
100.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.41 $1.41
$0.52 ฿17.51
171.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.90 $9.90
$4.20 ฿142
135.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.80 $10.80
$18.79 ฿634
-42.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.00 $2.00
$1.82 ฿61.5
9.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.26 $3.26
$2.84 ฿95.8
14.79%
🚌 Getting Around
Garland, TX
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.97 $2.97
$1.45 ฿48.98
104.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$94.6 $94.6
$56.7 ฿1,912
67.01%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.97 $2.97
$3.02 ฿102
-1.66%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 $1.70
$1.02 ฿34.33
66.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$23.67 $23.67
$3.69 ฿125
541.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.47 ฿49.76
-37.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K $27.1K
$26.8K ฿903.4K
1.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$26.7K ฿900.5K
-3.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Garland, TX
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$206 $206
$96.4 ฿3,251
113.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$55.6 $55.6
$11.26 ฿380
393.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$78.9 $78.9
$16.85 ฿568
368.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Garland, TX
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.94 $39.94
$67.2 ฿2,268
-40.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.33 $16.33
$10.73 ฿362
52.19%
Cinema Ticket
$15.23 $15.23
$7.50 ฿253
103.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Garland, TX
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,174 $1,174
$476 ฿16.1K
146.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.1K $28.1K
$11.3K ฿380.0K
149.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Garland, TX
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.4 $60.4
$62.4 ฿2,104
-3.09%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.19 $29.19
$28.41 ฿958
2.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$85.7 $85.7
$94.3 ฿3,181
-9.09%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120 $120
$85.8 ฿2,895
39.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Garland, TX
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,516 $1,516
$716 ฿24.2K
111.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,276 $1,276
$491 ฿16.6K
159.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,296 $2,296
$1,927 ฿65.0K
19.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,106 $2,106
$1,431 ฿48.3K
47.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,212 $3,212
$4,175 ฿140.9K
-23.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,973 $1,973
$3,045 ฿102.7K
-35.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Garland, TX
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,488 $3,488
$502 ฿16.9K
594.44%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.62
5.57
18.85%

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

Last update for Garland, TX: October 24, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Garland, TX
$1.3K
Phuket
$491 61.5% $785
Groceries & Markets
Garland, TX
$378
Phuket
$266 29.6% $112
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Garland, TX
$340
Phuket
$124 63.4% $216
Eating Out
Garland, TX
$305
Phuket
$122 60.1% $184
Clothing & Footwear
Garland, TX
$133
Phuket
$122 8.1% $11
Getting Around
Garland, TX
$118
Phuket
$71 40.2% $47
Sport & Entertainment
Garland, TX
$70
Phuket
$82 16.8% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,516 in Garland, TX versus $716 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Garland, TX are about 6.9 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $53 in Garland, TX versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 vs $266 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Garland, TX
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
11:46 11:46 AM
00:46 12:46 AM
13 h ahead of Garland, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
242,035
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Garland, TX Phuket 15,210 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Garland, TX
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Garland, TX vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Garland, TX and in Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,621 in Garland, TX, $1,278 in Phuket – Phuket comes out roughly 51% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Garland, TX compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,932 per month in Garland, TX and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Garland, TX and Phuket?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,516 in Garland, TX.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Garland, TX and Phuket?
Kindergarten costs $1,174 per month in Garland, TX and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 42% more in Garland, TX, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Garland, TX at $2,621. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Garland, TX it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Where should families live: Garland, TX or Phuket?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Garland, TX and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Garland, TX makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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