😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,792 in Groton, CT versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,127 in Groton, CT versus $2,276 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,462 in Groton, CT versus $3,291 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Groton, CT is roughly 121% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Groton, CT is 109% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.86$19.86
$4.53฿153
338.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.8$65.8
$46.36฿1,565
41.95%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.92$11.92
$8.65฿292
37.80%
Cappuccino
$3.99$3.99
$3.09฿104
29.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11$2.11
$0.68฿22.89
210.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79$1.79
$0.37฿12.44
383.78%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.95$4.95
$2.42฿81.6
104.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.02$6.02
$3.81฿129
58.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.98$0.98
$2.18฿73.5
-55.05%
White Bread(500g)
$3.43$3.43
$1.82฿61.3
88.46%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.66$5.66
$2.18฿73.5
159.63%
Eggs
$3.80$3.80
$2.24฿75.4
69.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.23$19.23
$19.93฿673
-3.51%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.44$13.44
$3.64฿123
269.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.36$19.36
$13.56฿458
42.77%
Apples(1kg)
$3.78$3.78
$3.29฿111
14.89%
Banana(1kg)
$1.40$1.40
$1.69฿56.9
-17.16%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.92$3.92
$2.33฿78.8
68.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.93$3.93
$2.03฿68.4
93.60%
Potato(1kg)
$3.26$3.26
$1.60฿54.0
103.75%
Onion(1kg)
$2.49$2.49
$1.49฿50.5
67.11%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.86$1.86
$1.01฿34.17
84.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.45$1.45
$0.48฿16.09
202.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.88$12.88
$4.45฿150
189.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.08$15.08
$18.63฿629
-19.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75$1.75
$1.79฿60.3
-2.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33$3.33
$2.80฿94.4
18.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.94$1.94
$1.42฿47.90
36.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.33฿382
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.93$2.93
$3.09฿104
-5.18%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.64$1.64
$1.04฿35.19
57.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.63$29.63
$13.63฿460
117.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.79$0.79
$1.31฿44.23
-39.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.6K$34.6K
$27.3K฿920.7K
26.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.8K$24.8K
$33.2K฿1.1M
-25.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$190$190
$123฿4,157
54.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.9$52.9
$13.81฿466
282.69%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.8$65.8
$18.52฿625
255.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.27$42.27
$60.4฿2,037
-29.97%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.80฿567
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.88$14.88
$8.89฿300
67.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,691$1,691
$687฿23.2K
146.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$30.5K$30.5K
$15.6K฿524.8K
96.45%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.46$47.46
$57.6฿1,945
-17.65%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.22$34.22
$34.66฿1,170
-1.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.0$86.0
$115฿3,879
-25.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$162$162
$84.9฿2,865
91.01%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,124$2,124
$618฿20.8K
243.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,544$1,544
$443฿15.0K
248.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,620$3,620
$2,047฿69.1K
76.87%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,591$2,591
$1,506฿50.8K
72.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,004$3,004
$3,568฿120.4K
-15.81%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,643$2,643
$2,511฿84.7K
5.27%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$503฿17.0K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.6
5.33
23.83%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Groton, CT: July 20, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,124 in Groton, CT and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $66.0 in Groton, CT vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $413 vs $292 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
Groton, CT vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Groton, CT or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 121% lower than in Groton, CT. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Groton, CT and in Phuket?
You'd need roughly $4,188 in Groton, CT and $1,891 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Groton, CT compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,124 in Groton, CT versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Groton, CT or in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Groton, CT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Groton, CT compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,792 per month in Groton, CT versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 121% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Groton, CT or in Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,792 in Groton, CT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Groton, CT. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Groton, CT or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Groton, CT compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Groton, CT 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 121% less than in Groton, CT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Groton, CT vs other spots: cost of living compared