Cost of Living Comparison Between Key West, FL and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Key West, FL and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,812 per month in Key West, FL vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,960 per month in Key West, FL vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,109 per month in Key West, FL vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Key West, FL costs about 280% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Key West, FL sits 259% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.88 $22.88

$4.70 ฿153

386.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 $86.3

$45.37 ฿1,482

90.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.14 $12.14

$8.43 ฿275

44.01%

Cappuccino

$4.42 $4.42

$2.93 ฿95.6

50.85%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$0.69 ฿22.40

263.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.37 ฿11.99

462.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.92 $5.92

$2.41 ฿78.6

145.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.43 $7.43

$3.72 ฿122

99.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$2.23 ฿72.9

-50.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.83 ฿59.8

102.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$2.17 ฿70.8

77.88%

Eggs

$4.77 $4.77

$2.21 ฿72.3

115.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 $11.36

$19.74 ฿645

-42.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.58 $13.58

$3.63 ฿119

274.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.84 $27.84

$13.53 ฿442

105.76%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$3.28 ฿107

52.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.61 ฿52.6

11.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.41 ฿78.6

88.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$2.08 ฿68.1

203.85%

Potato (1kg)

$6.07 $6.07

$1.53 ฿49.93

296.73%

Onion (1kg)

$8.60 $8.60

$1.48 ฿48.36

481.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.54 $3.54

$0.99 ฿32.29

257.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$0.51 ฿16.67

519.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.80 $7.80

$4.41 ฿144

76.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 $14.16

$19.38 ฿633

-26.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.78 ฿58.1

11.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.71 ฿88.6

-16.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.91 $3.91

$1.37 ฿44.79

185.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.02 ฿98.6

35.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.99 ฿32.48

53.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.71 $29.71

$14.10 ฿461

110.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.36 ฿44.51

-39.71%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-10.84%

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

$23.9K $23.9K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-27.32%

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

$244 $244

$122 ฿3,975

100.84%

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

$48.41 $48.41

$13.57 ฿443

256.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.7 $68.7

$18.31 ฿598

274.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.4 $79.4

$60.2 ฿1,967

31.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 $13.89

$8.69 ฿284

59.84%

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

$1,252 $1,252

$693 ฿22.6K

80.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.2K $23.2K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

47.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.88 $31.88

$59.5 ฿1,944

-46.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.43 $41.43

$34.77 ฿1,136

19.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.4 $65.4

$115 ฿3,743

-42.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.2 $61.2

$83.3 ฿2,720

-26.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 $3,435

$613 ฿20.0K

460.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,425 $3,425

$437 ฿14.3K

683.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$7,149 $7,149

$2,094 ฿68.4K

241.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,999 $5,999

$1,509 ฿49.3K

297.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,876 $9,876

$3,749 ฿122.5K

163.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,710 $9,710

$2,616 ฿85.4K

271.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,852 $5,852

$508 ฿16.6K

1051.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

5.33

19.89%

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

Last update for Key West, FL: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,435 in Key West, FL versus $613 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 1052% higher in Key West, 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 $86.0 in Key West, FL versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $484 vs $293 – 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

Key West, FL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Key West, FL is pricier by about 280%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $7,217 per month in Key West, FL and $1,898 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $86.0 in Key West, FL and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 65% more in Key West, FL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Key West, FL at $4,812. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Key West, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Key West, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.