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: $3,061 in Helena, MT versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,367 in Helena, MT versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,673 in Helena, MT versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Helena, MT is roughly 143% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Helena, MT is 128% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.89 $19.89

$4.56 ฿149

336.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.0 $90.0

$46.63 ฿1,519

93.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.44 $13.44

$8.47 ฿276

58.68%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$3.03 ฿98.6

66.34%

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

$2.21 $2.21

$0.69 ฿22.45

220.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$0.37 ฿11.92

378.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.49 ฿81.0

100.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 $6.44

$3.66 ฿119

75.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$2.18 ฿71.0

-47.71%

White Bread (500g)

$4.42 $4.42

$1.90 ฿62.0

132.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.20 ฿71.6

66.36%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$2.22 ฿72.4

95.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$30.95 $30.95

$19.99 ฿651

54.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 $9.08

$3.66 ฿119

148.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.91 $19.91

$13.25 ฿432

50.26%

Apples (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.23 ฿105

50.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.70 ฿55.3

4.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.39 ฿78.0

85.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.61 $5.61

$2.08 ฿67.7

169.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.59 ฿51.8

40.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.48 ฿48.31

23.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.03 ฿33.54

66.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.52 ฿16.83

351.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.25 $10.25

$4.25 ฿138

141.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.04 $13.04

$18.79 ฿612

-30.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.76 ฿57.2

-0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.76 ฿89.8

-8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.36 ฿44.32

163.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.2 $60.2

$11.36 ฿370

430.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.94 $9.94

$3.14 ฿102

216.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.04 ฿33.74

225.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.86 $45.86

$13.77 ฿448

233.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.34 ฿43.79

-37.31%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

30.01%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-9.91%

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

$356 $356

$124 ฿4,025

187.77%

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

$78.8 $78.8

$13.52 ฿440

482.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$91.2 $91.2

$18.69 ฿609

387.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 $51.0

$61.8 ฿2,013

-17.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.74 $14.74

$17.25 ฿562

-14.55%

Cinema Ticket

$10.43 $10.43

$9.14 ฿298

14.11%

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

$1,863 $1,863

$703 ฿22.9K

165.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.7K $22.7K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

43.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 $59.7

$59.5 ฿1,937

0.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$116 $116

$35.07 ฿1,142

231.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.6 $87.6

$115 ฿3,754

-23.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$84.1 ฿2,737

38.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,672 $1,672

$619 ฿20.1K

170.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$433 ฿14.1K

230.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,547 $2,547

$2,062 ฿67.2K

23.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,214 $2,214

$1,511 ฿49.2K

46.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,510 $3,510

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-3.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,915 $2,915

$2,626 ฿85.5K

11.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,901 $6,901

$507 ฿16.5K

1261.08%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,672 in Helena, MT and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Helena, MT pays 1261% 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 $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $452 vs $293 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 143% in total monthly costs ($3,061 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Helena, MT pays 1261% more on average, 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: $1,672 in Helena, MT versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,863 in Helena, MT versus $703 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 $1,261 in Phuket versus $3,061 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 143% less than in Helena, MT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.