😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,577 in Lewiston, ID versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,713 in Lewiston, ID versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,849 in Lewiston, ID versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Lewiston, ID is roughly 104% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Lewiston, ID is 92% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.18$19.18
$4.56฿149
320.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.8$74.8
$46.63฿1,519
60.48%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.95$10.95
$8.47฿276
29.28%
Cappuccino
$4.98$4.98
$3.03฿98.6
64.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61$2.61
$0.69฿22.45
278.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05$2.05
$0.37฿11.92
454.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.83$5.83
$2.49฿81.0
134.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.84$6.84
$3.66฿119
86.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.99$0.99
$2.18฿71.0
-54.59%
White Bread(500g)
$3.54$3.54
$1.90฿62.0
86.32%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.23$4.23
$2.20฿71.6
92.27%
Eggs
$4.27$4.27
$2.22฿72.4
92.34%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.48$12.48
$19.99฿651
-37.57%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.58$11.58
$3.66฿119
216.39%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.17$15.17
$13.25฿432
14.49%
Apples(1kg)
$4.94$4.94
$3.23฿105
52.94%
Banana(1kg)
$1.55$1.55
$1.70฿55.3
-8.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.27$4.27
$2.39฿78.0
78.66%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.64$4.64
$2.08฿67.7
123.08%
Potato(1kg)
$2.76$2.76
$1.59฿51.8
73.58%
Onion(1kg)
$2.77$2.77
$1.48฿48.31
87.16%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.10$2.10
$1.03฿33.54
103.88%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.12$2.12
$0.52฿16.83
307.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.68$9.68
$4.25฿138
127.76%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.63$13.63
$18.79฿612
-27.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.85$1.85
$1.76฿57.2
5.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31$3.31
$2.76฿89.8
19.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.98$1.98
$1.36฿44.32
45.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.36฿370
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.60$3.60
$3.14฿102
14.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.59$1.59
$1.04฿33.74
52.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.62$29.62
$13.77฿448
115.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.91$0.91
$1.34฿43.79
-32.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.1K$30.1K
$27.7K฿901.4K
8.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K$25.3K
$33.9K฿1.1M
-25.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$187$187
$124฿4,025
51.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.0$52.0
$13.52฿440
284.69%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.7$67.7
$18.69฿609
262.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.80$42.80
$61.8฿2,013
-30.77%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.71$13.71
$9.14฿298
50.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,312$1,312
$703฿22.9K
86.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.4K$23.4K
$15.9K฿517.0K
47.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.2$51.2
$59.5฿1,937
-13.94%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.28$40.28
$35.07฿1,142
14.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.5$87.5
$115฿3,754
-24.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111$111
$84.1฿2,737
31.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,594$1,594
$619฿20.1K
157.61%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,334$1,334
$433฿14.1K
208.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,658$2,658
$2,062฿67.2K
28.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,216$2,216
$1,511฿49.2K
46.63%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,716$2,716
$3,646฿118.7K
-25.49%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,397$2,397
$2,626฿85.5K
-8.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lewiston, ID
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,564$2,564
$507฿16.5K
405.77%
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: June 8, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,594 in Lewiston, ID and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lewiston, ID pays 406% 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 $385 vs $293 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 104% in total monthly costs ($2,577 vs $1,261 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 406% 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: $1,594 in Lewiston, ID versus $619 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 $2,577 per month in Lewiston, ID versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 104% 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 $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,577 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 104% 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