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 $2,989 per month in Highland, CA vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,417 per month in Highland, CA vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,844 per month in Highland, CA vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Highland, CA costs about 139% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Highland, CA sits 118% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.33 $25.33

$4.56 ฿150

455.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.5 $98.5

$32.62 ฿1,072

201.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.90 $14.90

$8.90 ฿293

67.42%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$2.80 ฿92.2

108.57%

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

$3.85 $3.85

$0.88 ฿28.93

337.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$0.49 ฿16.08

518.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 $8.09

$2.39 ฿78.5

238.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.83 $11.83

$3.71 ฿122

218.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.79 ฿58.7

-18.44%

White Bread (500g)

$4.77 $4.77

$1.44 ฿47.38

231.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.18 $7.18

$1.58 ฿52.1

354.43%

Eggs

$5.13 $5.13

$2.13 ฿69.9

140.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.14 $19.14

$19.92 ฿655

-3.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.86 $14.86

$3.43 ฿113

333.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.01 $22.01

$11.33 ฿372

94.26%

Apples (1kg)

$8.18 $8.18

$2.95 ฿96.9

177.29%

Banana (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.72 ฿56.6

87.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$2.32 ฿76.4

176.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.67 $9.67

$2.08 ฿68.4

364.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.47 ฿48.33

92.52%

Onion (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$1.36 ฿44.64

264.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.52 $3.52

$1.10 ฿36.12

220.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 $2.77

$0.57 ฿18.89

385.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.67 $11.67

$4.27 ฿140

173.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.25 $16.25

$18.42 ฿605

-11.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.87 ฿61.5

23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.92 ฿96.0

54.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.22 ฿72.9

-7.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.34 $30.34

$22.90 ฿753

32.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$3.03 ฿99.6

-1.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.07 ฿35.31

128.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.2 $59.2

$3.93 ฿129

1407.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.49 ฿49.04

-3.36%

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

$37.7K $37.7K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

38.87%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-7.17%

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

$249 $249

$103 ฿3,379

142.40%

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

$74.5 $74.5

$10.99 ฿361

578.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$17.51 ฿576

300.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.10 $42.10

$53.5 ฿1,760

-21.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 $13.76

$7.48 ฿246

83.96%

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

$1,420 $1,420

$557 ฿18.3K

154.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.6K $36.6K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

209.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.5 $86.5

$64.1 ฿2,106

34.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.61 $46.61

$29.07 ฿956

60.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 $79.1

$96.0 ฿3,154

-17.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$90.3 ฿2,970

43.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,703 $1,703

$730 ฿24.0K

133.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,188 $1,188

$500 ฿16.4K

137.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,746 $2,746

$2,090 ฿68.7K

31.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 $2,159

$1,209 ฿39.7K

78.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,057 $3,057

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-14.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,234 $2,234

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-11.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

5.57

12.03%

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

Last update for Highland, CA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,703 in Highland, CA versus $730 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 $98.0 in Highland, CA versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $562 vs $273 – 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: $2,989 in Highland, CA, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 139% apart. Highland, CA costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,484 per month in Highland, CA and $1,880 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 $98.0 in Highland, CA and $33.00 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 $2,989 in Highland, CA and $1,253 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 $1,253, than in Highland, CA at $2,989. 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 $1,253 in Phuket to $2,989 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.