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: $2,494 in Houghton, MI versus $1,247 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,605 in Houghton, MI versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,716 in Houghton, MI versus $3,306 in Phuket.

Living in Houghton, MI is roughly 100% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Houghton, MI is 85% above, Phuket is 7% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.77 $12.77

$4.59 ฿147

178.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.89 $39.89

$46.83 ฿1,501

-14.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 $10.17

$8.70 ฿279

16.90%

Cappuccino

$4.08 $4.08

$2.92 ฿93.7

39.73%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$0.68 ฿21.92

301.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

$0.40 ฿12.70

290.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$2.51 ฿80.4

137.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$3.80 ฿122

81.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.16 ฿69.3

-49.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.88 ฿60.3

91.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.16 ฿69.2

107.41%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$2.22 ฿71.2

83.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.41 $12.41

$19.57 ฿627

-36.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.49 $11.49

$3.80 ฿122

202.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.28 $15.28

$13.41 ฿430

13.94%

Apples (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.26 ฿104

54.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.61 ฿51.7

-3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.31 ฿74.0

88.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$2.06 ฿66.0

133.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.61 ฿51.5

71.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.44 ฿46.26

94.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.03 ฿33.01

97.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.48 ฿15.39

354.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.32 $9.32

$4.50 ฿144

107.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.07 $15.07

$19.18 ฿615

-21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.82 ฿58.4

-2.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.69 ฿86.2

27.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.38 ฿44.16

42.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.11 ฿99.6

12.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.00 ฿32.18

59.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.62 $28.62

$13.74 ฿441

108.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.30 ฿41.61

-35.38%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$27.4K ฿877.0K

10.07%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-21.06%

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

$186 $186

$125 ฿4,004

48.81%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$13.74 ฿440

289.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$18.61 ฿597

258.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.63 $42.63

$60.6 ฿1,941

-29.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿550

Cinema Ticket

$13.27 $13.27

$9.01 ฿289

47.28%

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

$1,322 $1,322

$698 ฿22.4K

89.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$16.1K ฿516.5K

44.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$59.2 ฿1,898

-12.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.51 $40.51

$34.86 ฿1,118

16.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$114 ฿3,662

-23.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$85.8 ฿2,751

28.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$619 ฿19.8K

160.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,340 $1,340

$437 ฿14.0K

206.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,600 $2,600

$2,075 ฿66.5K

25.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,266 $2,266

$1,509 ฿48.4K

50.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,552 $1,552

$3,764 ฿120.7K

-58.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,586 $1,586

$2,694 ฿86.4K

-41.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,606 $2,606

$528 ฿16.9K

393.05%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Houghton, MI and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Houghton, MI pays 393% 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: $40 in Houghton, MI vs $47 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $392 vs $292, 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 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Houghton, MI pays 393% more on average, 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: $1,612 in Houghton, MI versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Houghton, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,494 per month in Houghton, MI versus $1,247 in Phuket – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,247 in Phuket versus $2,494 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 100% less than in Houghton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.