Cost of Living Comparison Between Helena, MT and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Helena, MT and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,026 in Helena, MT versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,317 in Helena, MT versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,609 in Helena, MT versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Helena, MT is roughly 139% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Helena, MT is 127% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.40 $20.40

$4.48 ฿150

355.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.3 $90.3

$45.59 ฿1,525

98.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.31 $13.31

$8.76 ฿293

51.94%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$2.97 ฿99.3

68.35%

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

$2.28 $2.28

$0.69 ฿22.96

230.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.39 ฿13.07

358.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.53 ฿84.7

92.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 $6.56

$3.75 ฿125

74.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$2.15 ฿71.8

-45.12%

White Bread (500g)

$4.49 $4.49

$1.82 ฿60.7

146.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.18 ฿73.1

67.43%

Eggs

$4.27 $4.27

$2.25 ฿75.2

89.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.56 $30.56

$20.00 ฿669

52.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.37 $9.37

$3.63 ฿121

158.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.71 $19.71

$13.56 ฿453

45.35%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$3.24 ฿109

45.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.64 ฿54.7

6.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.33 ฿78.0

97.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$2.07 ฿69.3

161.84%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.55 ฿51.8

36.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.46 ฿48.67

28.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.98 ฿32.94

75.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.48 ฿16.13

366.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.24 $10.24

$4.35 ฿146

135.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.82 $12.82

$18.57 ฿621

-30.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.86 ฿62.1

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.65 ฿88.8

-5.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.42 ฿47.40

140.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.0 $60.0

$11.57 ฿387

418.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$10.15 $10.15

$3.17 ฿106

220.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.03 ฿34.51

234.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.32 $44.32

$13.89 ฿465

219.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.34 ฿44.96

-38.06%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

30.36%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-8.70%

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

$357 $357

$123 ฿4,116

190.05%

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

$76.0 $76.0

$13.77 ฿461

452.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$90.0 $90.0

$18.33 ฿613

390.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.30 $49.30

$60.7 ฿2,030

-18.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.80 $14.80

$17.16 ฿574

-13.75%

Cinema Ticket

$10.41 $10.41

$8.87 ฿297

17.36%

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

$1,857 $1,857

$688 ฿23.0K

170.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

43.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.2 $61.2

$59.3 ฿1,984

3.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$118 $118

$34.69 ฿1,160

241.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 $89.5

$115 ฿3,853

-22.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$83.8 ฿2,802

39.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,633 $1,633

$621 ฿20.8K

162.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 $1,386

$446 ฿14.9K

210.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,635 $2,635

$2,034 ฿68.0K

29.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,227 $2,227

$1,496 ฿50.0K

48.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,555 $3,555

$3,455 ฿115.6K

2.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,912 $2,912

$2,531 ฿84.7K

15.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,892 $6,892

$494 ฿16.5K

1296.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

5.33

25.89%

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

Last update for Helena, MT: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,633 in Helena, MT and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helena, MT pays 1296% 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: $90.0 in Helena, MT vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $449 vs $291 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

Helena, MT vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Helena, MT and Phuket differ by about 139% in total monthly costs ($3,026 vs $1,264 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1296% higher in Helena, MT, 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: $1,633 in Helena, MT versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,857 in Helena, MT versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 54% higher in Helena, MT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $3,026 in Helena, MT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Helena, MT. 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, Helena, MT 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 139% less than in Helena, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.