Cost of Living Comparison Between Glendale, CA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Glendale, CA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,138 in Glendale, CA versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,608 in Glendale, CA versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,079 in Glendale, CA versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Glendale, CA is roughly 230% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Glendale, CA is 201% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.43 $25.43

$4.56 ฿152

457.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$32.62 ฿1,086

203.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.16 $14.16

$8.90 ฿296

59.10%

Cappuccino

$6.09 $6.09

$2.80 ฿93.4

117.50%

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

$3.35 $3.35

$0.88 ฿29.31

280.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$0.49 ฿16.29

465.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.22 $8.22

$2.39 ฿79.5

243.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.88 $9.88

$3.71 ฿124

166.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.79 ฿59.5

-22.35%

White Bread (500g)

$4.83 $4.83

$1.44 ฿48.00

235.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$1.58 ฿52.8

201.27%

Eggs

$6.06 $6.06

$2.13 ฿70.8

184.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.98 $11.98

$19.92 ฿663

-39.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.39 $13.39

$3.43 ฿114

290.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.12 $20.12

$11.33 ฿377

77.58%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.95 ฿98.2

56.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.72 ฿57.3

6.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.32 ฿77.4

87.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$2.08 ฿69.3

152.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$1.47 ฿48.96

120.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.36 ฿45.22

97.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.10 ฿36.59

88.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.57 ฿19.13

287.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.91 $11.91

$4.27 ฿142

178.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$18.42 ฿613

-18.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.87 ฿62.3

18.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.92 ฿97.3

-3.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.22 ฿73.9

-22.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.2 $90.2

$22.90 ฿762

293.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.03 ฿101

-2.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.07 ฿35.77

71.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.16 $28.16

$3.93 ฿131

616.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.49 ฿49.68

4.03%

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

$37.6K $37.6K

$27.1K ฿903.4K

38.44%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$27.5K ฿914.1K

-4.35%

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

$259 $259

$103 ฿3,423

152.04%

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

$75.8 $75.8

$10.99 ฿366

589.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.3 $78.3

$17.51 ฿583

347.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,783

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$19.86 $19.86

$7.48 ฿249

165.51%

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

$1,715 $1,715

$557 ฿18.5K

207.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.6K $32.6K

$11.9K ฿394.7K

175.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.6 $70.6

$64.1 ฿2,134

10.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.7 $56.7

$29.07 ฿968

94.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$96.0 ฿3,195

20.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 $200

$90.3 ฿3,008

120.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,294 $3,294

$730 ฿24.3K

351.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$500 ฿16.6K

426.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,797 $4,797

$2,090 ฿69.6K

129.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,496 $3,496

$1,209 ฿40.3K

189.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿119.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,928 $4,928

$503 ฿16.8K

878.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

5.57

17.06%

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

Last update for Glendale, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,294 in Glendale, CA and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Glendale, CA pays 879% 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: $99.0 in Glendale, CA vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $443 vs $273 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

Glendale, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 230% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 879% higher in Glendale, CA, 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: $3,294 in Glendale, CA versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 294% less than in Glendale, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,715 in Glendale, CA versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $4,138 in Glendale, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Glendale, CA. 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 Glendale, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Glendale, CA 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 230% less than in Glendale, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.