😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,542 in Lewiston, ID versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,768 in Lewiston, ID versus $2,255 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,995 in Lewiston, ID versus $3,279 in Phuket.
😐Living in Lewiston, ID is roughly 106% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Lewiston, ID is 90% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.67$18.67
$4.63฿151
303.24%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.5$74.5
$46.84฿1,532
59.14%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.91$10.91
$8.84฿289
23.42%
Cappuccino
$5.18$5.18
$3.00฿98.0
72.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49$2.49
$0.74฿24.25
236.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03$2.03
$0.37฿11.95
448.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.13$6.13
$2.44฿79.8
151.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.08$7.08
$3.61฿118
96.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.05$1.05
$2.26฿73.9
-53.54%
White Bread(500g)
$3.57$3.57
$1.84฿60.1
94.02%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.38$4.38
$2.24฿73.4
95.54%
Eggs
$4.33$4.33
$2.32฿75.7
86.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.22$12.22
$19.67฿643
-37.87%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.43$11.43
$3.65฿119
213.15%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.52$15.52
$13.10฿428
18.47%
Apples(1kg)
$4.78$4.78
$3.39฿111
41.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.59$1.59
$1.64฿53.7
-3.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.30$4.30
$2.41฿79.0
78.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.68$4.68
$2.03฿66.4
130.54%
Potato(1kg)
$2.92$2.92
$1.56฿50.9
87.18%
Onion(1kg)
$2.89$2.89
$1.50฿48.94
92.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.08$2.08
$1.02฿33.50
103.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.09$2.09
$0.49฿16.00
326.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.61$9.61
$4.45฿145
115.96%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.66$13.66
$18.88฿617
-27.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77$1.77
$1.78฿58.1
-0.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.27$3.27
$2.75฿90.1
18.91%
🚌 Getting Around
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.99$1.99
$1.40฿45.81
42.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.48฿376
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.46$3.46
$3.12฿102
10.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.60$1.60
$1.00฿32.67
60.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$28.65$28.65
$14.09฿461
103.34%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.89$0.89
$1.35฿44.19
-34.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K$29.1K
$27.2K฿888.9K
7.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.0K$26.0K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-21.10%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$186$186
$125฿4,087
48.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.0$53.0
$13.57฿444
290.86%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.3$67.3
$18.52฿606
263.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.16$42.16
$61.5฿2,010
-31.42%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿551
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.34$13.34
$9.19฿300
45.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,322$1,322
$698฿22.8K
89.34%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.8K$23.8K
$15.6K฿509.9K
52.44%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.7$51.7
$57.8฿1,889
-10.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.67$39.67
$35.24฿1,152
12.57%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.9$86.9
$113฿3,699
-23.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111$111
$86.4฿2,825
28.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,575$1,575
$616฿20.1K
155.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,363$1,363
$446฿14.6K
205.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,640$2,640
$2,048฿67.0K
28.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,231$2,231
$1,492฿48.8K
49.49%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,648$2,648
$3,779฿123.6K
-29.91%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,328$2,328
$2,649฿86.6K
-12.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,595$2,595
$524฿17.1K
395.37%
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 Lewiston, ID: April 25, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Lewiston, ID and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lewiston, ID pays 395% 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: $75.0 in Lewiston, ID vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 vs $292 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
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
Lewiston, ID vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lewiston, ID and Phuket?
Lewiston, ID and Phuket differ by about 106% in total monthly costs ($2,542 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lewiston, ID or Phuket?
Lewiston, ID pays 395% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Lewiston, ID and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,575 in Lewiston, ID versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Lewiston, ID. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Lewiston, ID or Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,542 per month in Lewiston, ID versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,542 in Lewiston, ID, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lewiston, ID. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Lewiston, ID and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lewiston, ID or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Lewiston, ID 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.
Where should expats move: Lewiston, ID or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Lewiston, ID. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Lewiston, ID vs other spots: cost of living compared