๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,453 in Lima, OH versus $1,270 in Phuket.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,828 in Lima, OH versus $2,304 in Phuket.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,204 in Lima, OH versus $3,339 in Phuket.
๐Living in Lima, OH is roughly 93% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Lima, OH is 83% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Lima, OH
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.28$20.28
$4.66เธฟ150
335.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.5$79.5
$46.44เธฟ1,496
71.19%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.95$10.95
$8.68เธฟ280
26.15%
Cappuccino
$4.91$4.91
$2.95เธฟ95.0
66.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.56$2.56
$0.70เธฟ22.52
265.71%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20$2.20
$0.39เธฟ12.70
464.10%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.66$5.66
$2.53เธฟ81.6
123.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.08$7.08
$3.78เธฟ122
87.30%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Lima, OH
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.83$0.83
$2.22เธฟ71.5
-62.61%
White Bread(500g)
$3.11$3.11
$1.80เธฟ57.8
72.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.08$4.08
$2.19เธฟ70.4
86.30%
Eggs
$3.14$3.14
$2.31เธฟ74.5
35.93%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.29$13.29
$19.34เธฟ623
-31.28%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.08$14.08
$3.77เธฟ121
273.47%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.20$16.20
$13.22เธฟ426
22.54%
Apples(1kg)
$5.91$5.91
$3.33เธฟ107
77.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.31$1.31
$1.65เธฟ53.1
-20.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.53$5.53
$2.29เธฟ73.7
141.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.17$5.17
$1.99เธฟ64.1
159.80%
Potato(1kg)
$3.76$3.76
$1.53เธฟ49.24
145.75%
Onion(1kg)
$3.07$3.07
$1.51เธฟ48.77
103.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.17$2.17
$1.03เธฟ33.12
110.68%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.08$2.08
$0.51เธฟ16.57
307.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.43$9.43
$4.41เธฟ142
113.83%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.78$14.78
$19.41เธฟ625
-23.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.02$2.02
$1.80เธฟ58.0
12.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55$2.55
$2.68เธฟ86.4
-4.85%
๐ Getting Around
Lima, OH
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.96$1.96
$1.43เธฟ46.11
37.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$42.84$42.84
$11.70เธฟ377
266.15%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.94$2.94
$3.04เธฟ97.9
-3.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.51$1.51
$1.04เธฟ33.37
45.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$26.90$26.90
$13.68เธฟ441
96.64%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.82$0.82
$1.30เธฟ41.85
-36.92%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.3K$30.3K
$27.9Kเธฟ898.9K
8.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K$25.7K
$33.0Kเธฟ1.1M
-22.19%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lima, OH
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$276$276
$123เธฟ3,962
124.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$61.2$61.2
$13.82เธฟ445
342.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.0$69.0
$18.86เธฟ608
265.59%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Lima, OH
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.75$36.75
$61.2เธฟ1,970
-39.90%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.55$34.55
$16.81เธฟ541
105.53%
Cinema Ticket
$11.98$11.98
$8.87เธฟ286
35.06%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Lima, OH
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,251$1,251
$696เธฟ22.4K
79.69%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.0K$15.0K
$16.1Kเธฟ517.4K
-6.28%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Lima, OH
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.1$55.1
$59.3เธฟ1,910
-7.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.58$38.58
$34.85เธฟ1,123
10.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$80.1$80.1
$113เธฟ3,646
-29.25%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102$102
$85.1เธฟ2,740
19.95%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Lima, OH
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$867$867
$615เธฟ19.8K
40.83%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,115$1,115
$448เธฟ14.4K
148.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,672$2,672
$2,085เธฟ67.2K
28.14%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,215$2,215
$1,496เธฟ48.2K
48.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,431$1,431
$3,734เธฟ120.3K
-61.67%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,400$1,400
$2,662เธฟ85.8K
-47.40%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Lima, OH
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,104$5,104
$534เธฟ17.2K
856.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.51
5.33
22.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lima, OH: April 21, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $867 in Lima, OH and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐLima, OH pays 857% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $79 in Lima, OH vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $408 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
Lima, OH vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Lima, OH and Phuket?
Lima, OH and Phuket differ by about 93% in total monthly costs ($2,453 vs $1,270 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Lima, OH or Phuket?
Lima, OH pays 857% 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 Lima, OH and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $867 in Lima, OH versus $615 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 40% higher in Lima, OH. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket โ 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.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,453 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.
How does quality of life compare between Lima, OH and Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Lima, OH or Phuket safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Lima, OH or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 93% less than in Lima, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.