๐A single person spends $2,652 per month in Hope, AR vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $3,804 per month in Hope, AR vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $4,955 per month in Hope, AR vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.
๐Hope, AR costs about 109% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Hope, AR sits 98% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Hope, AR
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.85$17.85
$4.66เธฟ150
283.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.7$75.7
$46.44เธฟ1,496
63.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.97$9.97
$8.68เธฟ280
14.86%
Cappuccino
$4.75$4.75
$2.95เธฟ95.0
61.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65$1.65
$0.70เธฟ22.52
135.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92$1.92
$0.39เธฟ12.70
392.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.12$6.12
$2.53เธฟ81.6
141.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.13$8.13
$3.78เธฟ122
115.08%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Hope, AR
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.96$0.96
$2.22เธฟ71.5
-56.76%
White Bread(500g)
$2.94$2.94
$1.80เธฟ57.8
63.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$7.90$7.90
$2.19เธฟ70.4
260.73%
Eggs
$3.38$3.38
$2.31เธฟ74.5
46.32%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.11$6.11
$19.34เธฟ623
-68.41%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.24$14.24
$3.77เธฟ121
277.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.72$18.72
$13.22เธฟ426
41.60%
Apples(1kg)
$6.13$6.13
$3.33เธฟ107
84.08%
Banana(1kg)
$1.44$1.44
$1.65เธฟ53.1
-12.73%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.13$4.13
$2.29เธฟ73.7
80.35%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.12$5.12
$1.99เธฟ64.1
157.29%
Potato(1kg)
$3.63$3.63
$1.53เธฟ49.24
137.25%
Onion(1kg)
$3.97$3.97
$1.51เธฟ48.77
162.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.26$2.26
$1.03เธฟ33.12
119.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$3.99$3.99
$0.51เธฟ16.57
682.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.37$10.37
$4.41เธฟ142
135.15%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.92$14.92
$19.41เธฟ625
-23.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.71$1.71
$1.80เธฟ58.0
-5.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.96$2.96
$2.68เธฟ86.4
10.45%
๐ Getting Around
Hope, AR
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.03$2.03
$1.43เธฟ46.11
41.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70เธฟ377
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04$3.04
$3.04เธฟ97.9
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.69$1.69
$1.04เธฟ33.37
62.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.35$29.35
$13.68เธฟ441
114.55%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.73$0.73
$1.30เธฟ41.85
-43.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.3K$35.3K
$27.9Kเธฟ898.9K
26.42%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K$31.5K
$33.0Kเธฟ1.1M
-4.55%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hope, AR
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$191$191
$123เธฟ3,962
55.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$46.42$46.42
$13.82เธฟ445
235.89%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$63.8$63.8
$18.86เธฟ608
238.44%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Hope, AR
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.40$42.40
$61.2เธฟ1,970
-30.66%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.81เธฟ541
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.08$15.08
$8.87เธฟ286
70.01%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Hope, AR
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,334$1,334
$696เธฟ22.4K
91.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.6K$23.6K
$16.1Kเธฟ517.4K
46.68%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Hope, AR
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.8$54.8
$59.3เธฟ1,910
-7.49%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.53$35.53
$34.85เธฟ1,123
1.95%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$104$104
$113เธฟ3,646
-8.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$108$108
$85.1เธฟ2,740
27.35%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Hope, AR
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,627$1,627
$615เธฟ19.8K
164.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,374$1,374
$448เธฟ14.4K
206.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,658$2,658
$2,085เธฟ67.2K
27.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,238$2,238
$1,496เธฟ48.2K
49.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,901$2,901
$3,734เธฟ120.3K
-22.32%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,475$2,475
$2,662เธฟ85.8K
-7.00%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Hope, AR
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$534เธฟ17.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.49
5.33
21.76%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Hope, AR: April 21, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $1,627 in Hope, AR versus $615 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Hope, AR versus $46 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $291 โ 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
Hope, AR vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Hope, AR and Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,652 in Hope, AR, $1,270 in Phuket โ roughly 109% apart. Hope, AR costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Hope, AR compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,978 per month in Hope, AR and $1,904 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Hope, AR and Phuket?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $76.0 in Hope, AR and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 48% more in Hope, AR, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,270, than in Hope, AR at $2,652. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hope, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Hope, AR and Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,270 in Phuket to $2,652 in Hope, AR. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Hope, AR or Phuket safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Hope, AR and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hope, AR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.