Cost of Living Comparison Between Houghton, MI and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Houghton, MI and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,541 in Houghton, MI versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,613 in Houghton, MI versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,686 in Houghton, MI versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Houghton, MI is roughly 103% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Houghton, MI is 90% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 $13.16

$4.55 ฿153

189.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.31 $39.31

$46.18 ฿1,553

-14.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.01 $10.01

$8.84 ฿297

13.24%

Cappuccino

$4.09 $4.09

$3.06 ฿103

33.66%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$0.73 ฿24.40

265.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.40 ฿13.39

290.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.43 ฿81.8

144.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$3.78 ฿127

84.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.26 ฿76.0

-52.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.50 $3.50

$1.81 ฿60.9

93.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.25 ฿75.8

90.67%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$2.25 ฿75.5

82.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.48 $12.48

$19.51 ฿656

-36.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$3.65 ฿123

210.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.62 $15.62

$13.05 ฿439

19.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$3.23 ฿109

52.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.62 ฿54.4

-3.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.38 ฿80.1

83.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$2.03 ฿68.1

128.57%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.53 ฿51.6

87.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.50 ฿50.5

91.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.98 ฿32.91

106.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$0.52 ฿17.39

317.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.63 $9.63

$4.44 ฿149

116.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.17 $15.17

$18.32 ฿616

-17.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.86 ฿62.7

-3.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.68 ฿90.1

26.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.41 ฿47.46

42.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.11 ฿105

11.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.04 ฿35.06

52.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.10 $29.10

$14.11 ฿474

106.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.31 ฿44.10

-35.88%

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

$29.2K $29.2K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

4.92%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-24.32%

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

$188 $188

$122 ฿4,118

53.72%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$13.59 ฿457

284.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$18.70 ฿629

269.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 $43.21

$60.5 ฿2,034

-28.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$13.77 $13.77

$9.07 ฿305

51.82%

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

$1,304 $1,304

$706 ฿23.8K

84.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

50.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 $51.5

$58.6 ฿1,969

-12.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.33 $40.33

$35.36 ฿1,189

14.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$115 ฿3,883

-25.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$83.7 ฿2,816

35.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,585 $1,585

$626 ฿21.0K

153.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,360 $1,360

$445 ฿15.0K

205.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 $2,594

$2,040 ฿68.6K

27.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,211 $2,211

$1,492 ฿50.2K

48.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,591 $1,591

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-54.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,540 $1,540

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-40.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,610 $2,610

$500 ฿16.8K

422.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.33

22.14%

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

Last update for Houghton, MI: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,585 in Houghton, MI and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houghton, MI pays 422% 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: $39.00 in Houghton, MI vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $390 vs $289, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

Houghton, MI vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 422% higher in Houghton, MI, 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: $1,585 in Houghton, MI versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,541 per month in Houghton, MI versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,541 in Houghton, MI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Houghton, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Houghton, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Houghton, MI 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 103% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.