😐A single person spends $2,459 per month in Jacksonville, FL vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,712 per month in Jacksonville, FL vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $4,965 per month in Jacksonville, FL vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.
😐Jacksonville, FL costs about 97% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Jacksonville, FL sits 84% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Jacksonville, FL
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.19$20.19
$4.55฿153
343.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$84.9$84.9
$46.18฿1,554
83.78%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.11$12.11
$8.84฿298
36.99%
Cappuccino
$4.92$4.92
$3.06฿103
60.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.05$3.05
$0.73฿24.42
317.81%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.32$2.32
$0.40฿13.40
480.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.79$4.79
$2.43฿81.8
97.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.59$5.59
$3.78฿127
47.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Jacksonville, FL
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05$1.05
$2.26฿76.0
-53.54%
White Bread(500g)
$3.82$3.82
$1.81฿60.9
111.05%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.01$3.01
$2.25฿75.8
33.78%
Eggs
$4.88$4.88
$2.25฿75.6
116.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.72$13.72
$19.51฿656
-29.68%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.45$9.45
$3.65฿123
158.90%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.08$15.08
$13.05฿439
15.56%
Apples(1kg)
$4.34$4.34
$3.23฿109
34.37%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46$1.46
$1.62฿54.4
-9.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.16$3.16
$2.38฿80.2
32.77%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.09$4.09
$2.03฿68.2
101.48%
Potato(1kg)
$2.78$2.78
$1.53฿51.6
81.70%
Onion(1kg)
$3.29$3.29
$1.50฿50.5
119.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.03$3.03
$0.98฿32.93
209.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.68$2.68
$0.52฿17.40
415.38%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.15$8.15
$4.44฿149
83.56%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.82$14.82
$18.32฿616
-19.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91$1.91
$1.86฿62.7
2.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37$3.37
$2.68฿90.2
25.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Jacksonville, FL
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.98$1.98
$1.41฿47.49
40.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$61.7$61.7
$11.70฿394
427.09%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.93$3.93
$3.11฿105
26.37%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.46$2.46
$1.04฿35.08
136.54%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$24.61$24.61
$14.11฿475
74.42%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.92$0.92
$1.31฿44.13
-29.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K$26.1K
$27.8K฿936.0K
-6.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.7K$24.7K
$33.2K฿1.1M
-25.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Jacksonville, FL
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$190$190
$122฿4,120
55.55%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$44.32$44.32
$13.59฿457
226.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.1$59.1
$18.70฿629
216.20%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Jacksonville, FL
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.41$35.41
$60.5฿2,035
-41.46%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.35$16.35
$16.98฿572
-3.71%
Cinema Ticket
$13.90$13.90
$9.07฿305
53.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Jacksonville, FL
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,302$1,302
$706฿23.8K
84.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.2K$11.2K
$15.8K฿531.8K
-29.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Jacksonville, FL
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.9$54.9
$58.6฿1,970
-6.32%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.21$46.21
$35.36฿1,190
30.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.1$89.1
$115฿3,885
-22.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$87.5$87.5
$83.7฿2,818
4.50%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Jacksonville, FL
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,586$1,586
$626฿21.1K
153.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,215$1,215
$445฿15.0K
172.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,921$2,921
$2,040฿68.7K
43.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,132$2,132
$1,492฿50.2K
42.90%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,366$2,366
$3,483฿117.2K
-32.06%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,144$2,144
$2,577฿86.7K
-16.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Jacksonville, FL
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,099$4,099
$500฿16.8K
719.96%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.53
5.33
22.51%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Jacksonville, FL: July 12, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,586 in Jacksonville, FL versus $626 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 720% higher in Jacksonville, FL, 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 $85.0 in Jacksonville, FL versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $383 vs $289 – 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
Jacksonville, FL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Jacksonville, FL or Phuket?
Jacksonville, FL costs about 97% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Jacksonville, FL and in Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,688 per month in Jacksonville, FL and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Jacksonville, FL or 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.
How do dining costs compare in Jacksonville, FL and in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $85.0 in Jacksonville, FL and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Jacksonville, FL compared to Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,459 in Jacksonville, FL and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Jacksonville, FL or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Jacksonville, FL at $2,459. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Jacksonville, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Jacksonville, FL or Phuket?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $2,459 in Jacksonville, FL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Jacksonville, FL compared to Phuket?
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.
Should I move to Jacksonville, FL or to Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Jacksonville, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Jacksonville, FL vs other spots: cost of living compared