Cost of Living Comparison Between Honolulu, HI and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Honolulu, HI and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,935 per month in Honolulu, HI vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,034 per month in Honolulu, HI vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $8,132 per month in Honolulu, HI vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Honolulu, HI costs about 214% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Honolulu, HI sits 186% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.29 $28.29

$4.56 ฿150

520.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$138 $138

$32.62 ฿1,072

322.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.18 $15.18

$8.90 ฿293

70.56%

Cappuccino

$9.94 $9.94

$2.80 ฿92.2

255.00%

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

$4.63 $4.63

$0.88 ฿28.93

426.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$0.49 ฿16.08

624.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.81 $9.81

$2.39 ฿78.5

310.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.06 $11.06

$3.71 ฿122

198.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.79 ฿58.7

29.61%

White Bread (500g)

$7.82 $7.82

$1.44 ฿47.38

443.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.99 $9.99

$1.58 ฿52.1

532.28%

Eggs

$8.79 $8.79

$2.13 ฿69.9

312.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$28.58 $28.58

$19.92 ฿655

43.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.60 $19.60

$3.43 ฿113

471.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.36 $21.36

$11.33 ฿372

88.53%

Apples (1kg)

$8.14 $8.14

$2.95 ฿96.9

175.93%

Banana (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$1.72 ฿56.6

208.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.80 $6.80

$2.32 ฿76.4

193.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.40 $9.40

$2.08 ฿68.4

351.92%

Potato (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$1.47 ฿48.33

236.73%

Onion (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$1.36 ฿44.64

239.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.10 $5.10

$1.10 ฿36.12

363.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.09 $3.09

$0.57 ฿18.89

442.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.31 $12.31

$4.27 ฿140

188.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.87 $17.87

$18.42 ฿605

-2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.87 ฿61.5

49.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.92 ฿96.0

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.22 ฿72.9

33.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.7 $90.7

$22.90 ฿753

296.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.03 ฿99.6

16.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.07 ฿35.31

148.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$45.09 $45.09

$3.93 ฿129

1047.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.49 ฿49.04

-9.40%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

30.60%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-0.47%

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

$245 $245

$103 ฿3,379

138.76%

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

$68.7 $68.7

$10.99 ฿361

524.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 $63.6

$17.51 ฿576

263.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.9 $63.9

$53.5 ฿1,760

19.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$31.67 $31.67

$11.20 ฿368

182.77%

Cinema Ticket

$19.80 $19.80

$7.48 ฿246

164.71%

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

$2,147 $2,147

$557 ฿18.3K

285.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.2K $27.2K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

129.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.0 $64.0

$64.1 ฿2,106

-0.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.05 $47.05

$29.07 ฿956

61.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$96.0 ฿3,154

7.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$90.3 ฿2,970

47.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,884 $2,884

$730 ฿24.0K

294.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,964 $1,964

$500 ฿16.4K

292.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,939 $4,939

$2,090 ฿68.7K

136.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,617 $3,617

$1,209 ฿39.7K

199.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,805 $8,805

$3,596 ฿118.2K

144.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,241 $7,241

$2,512 ฿82.6K

188.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,171 $4,171

$503 ฿16.5K

728.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

5.57

12.39%

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

Last update for Honolulu, HI: September 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,884 in Honolulu, HI 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.

Salaries run about 729% higher in Honolulu, HI, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $138 in Honolulu, HI versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $714 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

Honolulu, HI vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Honolulu, HI costs about 214% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,902 per month in Honolulu, HI 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,935 in Honolulu, HI and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 296% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Honolulu, HI at $3,935. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Honolulu, HI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,253 versus $3,935 in Honolulu, HI. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Honolulu, HI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.