Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima, OH and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lima, OH and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,506 in Lima, OH versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,893 in Lima, OH versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,281 in Lima, OH versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Lima, OH is roughly 99% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lima, OH is 88% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$4.53 ฿153

338.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$46.36 ฿1,565

70.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.20 $11.20

$8.65 ฿292

29.48%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$3.09 ฿104

61.81%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$0.68 ฿22.89

261.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.37 ฿12.44

510.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.68 $5.68

$2.42 ฿81.6

134.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$3.81 ฿129

88.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$2.18 ฿73.5

-61.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.82 ฿61.3

63.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$2.18 ฿73.5

93.12%

Eggs

$3.26 $3.26

$2.24 ฿75.4

45.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$19.93 ฿673

-33.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.13 $14.13

$3.64 ฿123

288.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.47 $16.47

$13.56 ฿458

21.46%

Apples (1kg)

$6.20 $6.20

$3.29 ฿111

88.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.69 ฿56.9

-20.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$2.33 ฿78.8

143.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.03 ฿68.4

147.29%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.60 ฿54.0

123.12%

Onion (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.49 ฿50.5

102.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.01 ฿34.17

117.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.48 ฿16.09

354.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.47 $9.47

$4.45 ฿150

112.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$18.63 ฿629

-18.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.79 ฿60.3

7.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.80 ฿94.4

-11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.42 ฿47.90

43.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.20 $42.20

$11.33 ฿382

272.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.09 ฿104

-4.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.04 ฿35.19

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.01 $27.01

$13.63 ฿460

98.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.31 ฿44.23

-38.17%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

7.90%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-23.52%

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

$273 $273

$123 ฿4,157

121.96%

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

$61.5 $61.5

$13.81 ฿466

344.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$18.52 ฿625

272.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.52 $37.52

$60.4 ฿2,037

-37.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.55 $34.55

$16.80 ฿567

105.65%

Cinema Ticket

$11.89 $11.89

$8.89 ฿300

33.75%

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

$1,255 $1,255

$687 ฿23.2K

82.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K $15.6K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

0.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 $55.3

$57.6 ฿1,945

-3.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.15 $39.15

$34.66 ฿1,170

12.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 $81.6

$115 ฿3,879

-29.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$84.9 ฿2,865

19.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$891 $891

$618 ฿20.8K

44.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,130 $1,130

$443 ฿15.0K

155.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,587 $2,587

$2,047 ฿69.1K

26.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,214 $2,214

$1,506 ฿50.8K

46.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,432 $1,432

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-59.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,433 $1,433

$2,511 ฿84.7K

-42.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,180 $5,180

$503 ฿17.0K

930.32%

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 Lima, OH: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $891 in Lima, OH and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima, OH pays 930% 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: $79.0 in Lima, OH vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $412 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

Lima, OH vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lima, OH and Phuket differ by about 99% in total monthly costs ($2,506 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 930% higher in Lima, OH, 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: $891 in Lima, OH versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Lima, OH. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $79.0 in Lima, OH. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,506 in Lima, OH, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lima, OH. 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, Lima, OH 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 99% less than in Lima, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.