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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,596 in Lexington, MA versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,787 in Lexington, MA versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,979 in Lexington, MA versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Lexington, MA is roughly 105% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lexington, MA is 94% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.88 $18.88

$4.70 ฿154

301.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$45.37 ฿1,489

62.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 $10.83

$8.43 ฿277

28.47%

Cappuccino

$4.99 $4.99

$2.93 ฿96.1

70.31%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$0.69 ฿22.50

257.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.37 ฿12.04

437.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 $5.93

$2.41 ฿79.0

146.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.81 $6.81

$3.72 ฿122

83.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.23 ฿73.3

-54.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.83 ฿60.1

88.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.17 ฿71.1

94.93%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$2.21 ฿72.6

92.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.35 $12.35

$19.74 ฿648

-37.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 $11.44

$3.63 ฿119

215.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.27 $15.27

$13.53 ฿444

12.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$3.28 ฿108

52.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.61 ฿52.9

-1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.41 ฿79.0

80.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.08 ฿68.4

130.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.53 ฿50.2

90.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.48 ฿48.58

97.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.99 ฿32.44

106.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$0.51 ฿16.74

313.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.83 $9.83

$4.41 ฿145

122.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 $14.09

$19.38 ฿636

-27.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.78 ฿58.4

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.71 ฿89.0

27.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.37 ฿44.99

47.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.02 ฿99.1

13.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.99 ฿32.63

65.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.22 $29.22

$14.10 ฿463

107.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.36 ฿44.71

-38.97%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

5.87%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-22.65%

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

$185 $185

$122 ฿3,993

51.74%

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

$52.1 $52.1

$13.57 ฿445

283.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$18.31 ฿601

265.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.58 $42.58

$60.2 ฿1,976

-29.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$13.48 $13.48

$8.69 ฿285

55.12%

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

$1,296 $1,296

$693 ฿22.8K

86.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K $23.9K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

52.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 $50.1

$59.5 ฿1,953

-15.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.17 $40.17

$34.77 ฿1,141

15.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 $88.0

$115 ฿3,760

-23.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$83.3 ฿2,733

32.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 $1,596

$613 ฿20.1K

160.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 $1,350

$437 ฿14.3K

208.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,601 $2,601

$2,094 ฿68.7K

24.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 $2,183

$1,509 ฿49.5K

44.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,730 $2,730

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-27.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,360 $2,360

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-9.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

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 Lexington, MA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,596 in Lexington, MA and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Lexington, MA vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 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

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

Lexington, MA and Phuket differ by about 105% in total monthly costs ($2,596 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,893 in Lexington, MA and $1,898 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,596 in Lexington, MA versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Lexington, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,596 per month in Lexington, MA versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,596 in Lexington, MA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lexington, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Lexington, MA 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 105% less than in Lexington, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.