Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,387 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,835 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,283 in Long Beach, CA versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Long Beach, CA is roughly 168% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Long Beach, CA is 152% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.31 $18.31

$4.56 ฿149

301.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 $79.2

$46.63 ฿1,519

69.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.96 $14.96

$8.47 ฿276

76.62%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$3.03 ฿98.6

73.27%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$0.69 ฿22.45

321.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.37 ฿11.92

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.44 $7.44

$2.49 ฿81.0

198.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$3.66 ฿119

124.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$2.18 ฿71.0

-46.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.25 $4.25

$1.90 ฿62.0

123.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.20 ฿71.6

100.45%

Eggs

$3.70 $3.70

$2.22 ฿72.4

66.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.27 $12.27

$19.99 ฿651

-38.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.86 $12.86

$3.66 ฿119

251.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.23 $15.23

$13.25 ฿432

14.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.45 $4.45

$3.23 ฿105

37.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.70 ฿55.3

-1.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.39 ฿78.0

69.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.08 ฿67.7

125.48%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$1.59 ฿51.8

93.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.48 ฿48.31

66.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.03 ฿33.54

95.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.52 ฿16.83

309.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.97 $10.97

$4.25 ฿138

158.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$18.79 ฿612

-20.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.76 ฿57.2

3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.76 ฿89.8

-10.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.36 ฿44.32

29.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.6 $69.6

$11.36 ฿370

512.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.14 ฿102

-2.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.04 ฿33.74

324.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.58 $27.58

$13.77 ฿448

100.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.34 ฿43.79

-2.99%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-6.33%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-21.16%

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

$160 $160

$124 ฿4,025

29.61%

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

$54.5 $54.5

$13.52 ฿440

303.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.9 $57.9

$18.69 ฿609

209.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.63 $39.63

$61.8 ฿2,013

-35.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$14.98 $14.98

$9.14 ฿298

63.89%

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

$1,487 $1,487

$703 ฿22.9K

111.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K $28.7K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

80.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.73 $46.73

$59.5 ฿1,937

-21.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 $34.40

$35.07 ฿1,142

-1.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$115 ฿3,754

-13.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$84.1 ฿2,737

22.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,359 $2,359

$619 ฿20.1K

281.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,049 $2,049

$433 ฿14.1K

373.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,713 $3,713

$2,062 ฿67.2K

80.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,432 $3,432

$1,511 ฿49.2K

127.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,010 $7,010

$3,646 ฿118.7K

92.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,030 $7,030

$2,626 ฿85.5K

167.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,437 $4,437

$507 ฿16.5K

775.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

5.33

19.89%

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

Last update for Long Beach, CA: June 9, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,359 in Long Beach, CA and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Beach, CA pays 775% 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 Long Beach, CA vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 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

Long Beach, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Long Beach, CA and Phuket differ by about 168% in total monthly costs ($3,387 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Long Beach, CA pays 775% 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: $2,359 in Long Beach, CA versus $619 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 $47.00 versus $79.0 in Long Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,387 per month in Long Beach, CA versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 168% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $3,387 in Long Beach, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Long Beach, CA. 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, Long Beach, CA 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 168% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.