😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,022 in Groton, CT versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,084 in Groton, CT versus $2,089 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,147 in Groton, CT versus $2,913 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Groton, CT is roughly 139% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Groton, CT is 119% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.83$17.83
$4.66฿154
282.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.4$64.4
$32.22฿1,065
100.00%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.42$13.42
$8.68฿287
54.61%
Cappuccino
$4.90$4.90
$2.90฿95.8
68.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56$2.56
$0.84฿27.89
204.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04$2.04
$0.49฿16.16
316.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.14$5.14
$2.48฿82.0
107.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.10$6.10
$3.73฿123
63.54%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.07$1.07
$1.89฿62.3
-43.39%
White Bread(500g)
$3.93$3.93
$1.41฿46.54
178.72%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.43$5.43
$1.62฿53.6
235.19%
Eggs
$4.85$4.85
$2.24฿74.1
116.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.34$11.34
$19.84฿656
-42.84%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.42$14.42
$3.48฿115
314.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$17.56$17.56
$11.37฿376
54.44%
Apples(1kg)
$6.61$6.61
$2.90฿95.8
127.93%
Banana(1kg)
$1.77$1.77
$1.72฿57.0
2.91%
Oranges(1kg)
$6.55$6.55
$2.27฿75.1
188.55%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.72$5.72
$2.13฿70.4
168.54%
Potato(1kg)
$2.85$2.85
$1.47฿48.72
93.88%
Onion(1kg)
$4.50$4.50
$1.42฿46.92
216.90%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.92$2.92
$1.10฿36.25
165.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.52$1.52
$0.60฿19.76
153.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$13.17$13.17
$4.31฿142
205.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.48$13.48
$18.60฿615
-27.53%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16$2.16
$1.80฿59.5
20.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.20$4.20
$2.97฿98.0
41.41%
🚌 Getting Around
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.76$1.76
$2.25฿74.2
-21.78%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$23.49฿776
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.83$2.83
$3.10฿102
-8.71%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.55$1.55
$1.08฿35.56
43.52%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$27.14$27.14
$3.87฿128
601.29%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.80$0.80
$1.43฿47.16
-44.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.1K$37.1K
$27.8K฿918.0K
33.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K$26.6K
$27.0K฿891.5K
-1.28%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$320$320
$105฿3,462
205.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$107$107
$11.39฿376
836.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$85.8$85.8
$17.54฿580
389.22%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.47$36.47
$54.3฿1,795
-32.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.44฿378
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.02$15.02
$7.78฿257
93.06%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,844$1,844
$576฿19.0K
219.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$30.3K$30.3K
$11.6K฿382.7K
161.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.1$56.1
$63.6฿2,103
-11.85%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.05$39.05
$29.10฿961
34.19%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.1$81.1
$96.2฿3,179
-15.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.7$98.7
$90.0฿2,974
9.67%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,124$2,124
$733฿24.2K
189.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,542$1,542
$501฿16.5K
207.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,497$2,497
$2,126฿70.2K
17.46%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,116$2,116
$1,252฿41.4K
68.99%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,692$2,692
$3,534฿116.8K
-23.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,736$2,736
$2,622฿86.6K
4.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Groton, CT
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.04
5.57
8.44%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Groton, CT: September 6, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,124 in Groton, CT and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $64.0 in Groton, CT vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $442 vs $275 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 139% 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 $4,532 in Groton, CT and $1,898 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 $733 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 61% 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 $3,022 per month in Groton, CT versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 139% 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 $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,022 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 $1,265 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 139% 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