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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,486 per month in Highland, CA vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,709 per month in Highland, CA vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,932 per month in Highland, CA vs $3,291 in Phuket, rent included.

Highland, CA costs about 97% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Highland, CA sits 86% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.82 $17.82

$4.53 ฿153

293.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.5 $80.5

$46.36 ฿1,565

73.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.84 $11.84

$8.65 ฿292

36.88%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$3.09 ฿104

63.43%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$0.68 ฿22.89

295.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.37 ฿12.44

429.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 $7.10

$2.42 ฿81.6

193.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$3.81 ฿129

81.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$2.18 ฿73.5

-51.38%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.82 ฿61.3

118.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.18 ฿73.5

87.16%

Eggs

$3.79 $3.79

$2.24 ฿75.4

69.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.53 $10.53

$19.93 ฿673

-47.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.71 $8.71

$3.64 ฿123

139.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 $14.63

$13.56 ฿458

7.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.29 ฿111

4.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.69 ฿56.9

-0.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.33 ฿78.8

72.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$2.03 ฿68.4

167.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.60 ฿54.0

96.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.49 ฿50.5

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.01 ฿34.17

38.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.48 ฿16.09

356.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.15 $11.15

$4.45 ฿150

150.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.73 $15.73

$18.63 ฿629

-15.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.79 ฿60.3

11.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.80 ฿94.4

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.42 ฿47.90

38.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.07 $30.07

$11.33 ฿382

165.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.73 $6.73

$3.09 ฿104

117.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.04 ฿35.19

58.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.85 $28.85

$13.63 ฿460

111.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.31 ฿44.23

-6.11%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

-10.95%

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

$24.1K $24.1K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-27.39%

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

$154 $154

$123 ฿4,157

25.33%

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

$46.40 $46.40

$13.81 ฿466

235.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.2 $59.2

$18.52 ฿625

219.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.54 $42.54

$60.4 ฿2,037

-29.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$14.17 $14.17

$8.89 ฿300

59.39%

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

$1,209 $1,209

$687 ฿23.2K

76.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

53.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.57 $46.57

$57.6 ฿1,945

-19.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.78 $33.78

$34.66 ฿1,170

-2.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$115 ฿3,879

-25.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.6 $83.6

$84.9 ฿2,865

-1.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$618 ฿20.8K

158.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,348 $1,348

$443 ฿15.0K

204.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,632 $2,632

$2,047 ฿69.1K

28.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$1,506 ฿50.8K

49.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,348 $2,348

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-34.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,521 $2,521

$2,511 ฿84.7K

0.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.58

5.33

23.45%

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

Last update for Highland, CA: July 22, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,597 in Highland, CA versus $618 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Highland, CA versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $367 vs $292 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,486 in Highland, CA, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 97% apart. Highland, CA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,729 per month in Highland, CA and $1,891 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $81.0 in Highland, CA and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,486 in Highland, CA and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Highland, CA at $2,486. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Highland, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,261 in Phuket to $2,486 in Highland, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Highland, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.