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: $2,456 in Lima, OH versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,842 in Lima, OH versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,228 in Lima, OH versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Lima, OH is roughly 94% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lima, OH is 83% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 $20.17

$4.70 ฿154

329.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$45.37 ฿1,489

79.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 $11.16

$8.43 ฿277

32.38%

Cappuccino

$4.78 $4.78

$2.93 ฿96.1

63.14%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$0.69 ฿22.50

259.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.37 ฿12.04

505.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.62 $5.62

$2.41 ฿79.0

133.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$3.72 ฿122

87.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$2.23 ฿73.3

-62.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.83 ฿60.1

70.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.17 ฿71.1

94.93%

Eggs

$3.27 $3.27

$2.21 ฿72.6

47.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.23 $13.23

$19.74 ฿648

-32.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.78 $13.78

$3.63 ฿119

279.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.13 $16.13

$13.53 ฿444

19.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.28 ฿108

79.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.61 ฿52.9

-18.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$2.41 ฿79.0

136.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.08 ฿68.4

145.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$1.53 ฿50.2

146.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.48 ฿48.58

106.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.99 ฿32.44

125.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.51 ฿16.74

309.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.41 $9.41

$4.41 ฿145

113.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.85 $14.85

$19.38 ฿636

-23.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.78 ฿58.4

9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.71 ฿89.0

-8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.37 ฿44.99

43.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.02 $43.02

$11.39 ฿374

277.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.02 ฿99.1

-2.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.99 ฿32.63

60.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.51 $26.51

$14.10 ฿463

88.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.36 ฿44.71

-38.24%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

4.43%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-23.23%

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

$276 $276

$122 ฿3,993

126.84%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$13.57 ฿445

343.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$18.31 ฿601

270.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.05 $38.05

$60.2 ฿1,976

-36.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.56 $34.56

$17.14 ฿562

101.63%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$8.69 ฿285

39.36%

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

$1,250 $1,250

$693 ฿22.8K

80.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K $15.2K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

-3.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 $54.0

$59.5 ฿1,953

-9.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.68 $38.68

$34.77 ฿1,141

11.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 $80.1

$115 ฿3,760

-30.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$83.3 ฿2,733

24.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$859 $859

$613 ฿20.1K

40.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 $1,121

$437 ฿14.3K

156.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 $2,657

$2,094 ฿68.7K

26.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,194 $2,194

$1,509 ฿49.5K

45.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,397 $1,397

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-62.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,404 $1,404

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-46.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,089 $5,089

$508 ฿16.7K

901.47%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $859 in Lima, OH and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lima, OH pays 901% 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: $81.0 in Lima, OH vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 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

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

Lima, OH and Phuket differ by about 94% in total monthly costs ($2,456 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lima, OH pays 901% more on average, 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: $859 in Lima, OH versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% 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 $45.00 versus $81.0 in Lima, OH. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,456 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 94% less than in Lima, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.