Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lexington, KY and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,299 in Lexington, KY versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,366 in Lexington, KY versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,434 in Lexington, KY versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Lexington, KY is roughly 82% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lexington, KY is 73% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.78 $14.78

$4.48 ฿150

229.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.3 $69.3

$45.59 ฿1,525

52.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$8.76 ฿293

15.98%

Cappuccino

$5.08 $5.08

$2.97 ฿99.3

71.04%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$0.69 ฿22.96

221.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$0.39 ฿13.07

364.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$2.53 ฿84.7

92.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 $7.90

$3.75 ฿125

110.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$2.15 ฿71.8

-64.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.82 ฿60.7

64.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.18 ฿73.1

109.63%

Eggs

$3.33 $3.33

$2.25 ฿75.2

48.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 $12.86

$20.00 ฿669

-35.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.28 $11.28

$3.63 ฿121

210.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.39 $16.39

$13.56 ฿453

20.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.24 ฿109

40.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.64 ฿54.7

-20.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$2.33 ฿78.0

53.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.07 ฿69.3

115.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.55 ฿51.8

112.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$1.46 ฿48.67

117.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.98 ฿32.94

107.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.48 ฿16.13

289.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.77 $7.77

$4.35 ฿146

78.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.04 $13.04

$18.57 ฿621

-29.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.86 ฿62.1

45.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.65 ฿88.8

23.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.42 ฿47.40

-28.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.97 $29.97

$11.57 ฿387

159.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.17 ฿106

59.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.03 ฿34.51

61.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.56 $29.56

$13.89 ฿465

112.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.34 ฿44.96

-40.30%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-17.53%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-22.91%

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

$210 $210

$123 ฿4,116

70.84%

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

$70.4 $70.4

$13.77 ฿461

410.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.4 $67.4

$18.33 ฿613

267.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.43 $34.43

$60.7 ฿2,030

-43.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.05 $30.05

$17.16 ฿574

75.12%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 $15.10

$8.87 ฿297

70.24%

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

$1,153 $1,153

$688 ฿23.0K

67.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

59.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 $59.6

$59.3 ฿1,984

0.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.54 $34.54

$34.69 ฿1,160

-0.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$115 ฿3,853

-9.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$83.8 ฿2,802

90.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,111 $1,111

$621 ฿20.8K

78.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 $1,039

$446 ฿14.9K

132.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,121 $2,121

$2,034 ฿68.0K

4.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,725 $1,725

$1,496 ฿50.0K

15.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,085 $2,085

$3,455 ฿115.6K

-39.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,042 $2,042

$2,531 ฿84.7K

-19.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,058 $4,058

$494 ฿16.5K

722.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.67

5.33

25.14%

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

Last update for Lexington, KY: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,111 in Lexington, KY and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lexington, KY pays 722% 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: $69.0 in Lexington, KY vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $291 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

Lexington, KY vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 82% lower than in Lexington, KY. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 722% higher in Lexington, KY, 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: $1,111 in Lexington, KY versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $69.0 in Lexington, KY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,299 per month in Lexington, KY versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 82% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,299 in Lexington, KY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lexington, KY. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,264 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lexington, KY 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 82% less than in Lexington, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.