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: $3,193 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,945 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,698 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Long Beach, CA is roughly 159% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Long Beach, CA is 133% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.80 $19.80

$4.41 ฿147

348.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$32.26 ฿1,074

144.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.12 $15.12

$8.93 ฿297

69.32%

Cappuccino

$6.22 $6.22

$2.90 ฿96.4

114.48%

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

$3.42 $3.42

$0.88 ฿29.30

288.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$0.48 ฿16.01

418.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.68 $7.68

$2.35 ฿78.3

226.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.36 $9.36

$3.72 ฿124

151.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.87 ฿62.1

-43.32%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$1.47 ฿48.81

180.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$1.55 ฿51.7

201.94%

Eggs

$4.62 $4.62

$2.10 ฿70.0

120.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 $12.87

$19.59 ฿652

-34.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$3.42 ฿114

323.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.68 $15.68

$11.38 ฿379

37.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.98 ฿99.3

70.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.68 ฿56.1

-1.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.36 $5.36

$2.21 ฿73.5

142.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.91 $5.91

$2.16 ฿72.0

173.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.58 $3.58

$1.52 ฿50.8

135.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.34 ฿44.55

64.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.13 ฿37.57

72.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$0.55 ฿18.19

230.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.55 $11.55

$4.26 ฿142

171.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.14 $15.14

$19.09 ฿635

-20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.78 ฿59.2

11.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 $4.15

$2.78 ฿92.6

49.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.23 ฿74.2

-22.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.0 $70.0

$22.74 ฿757

207.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.03 ฿101

-5.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.02 ฿34.06

147.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.0 $59.0

$3.89 ฿130

1417.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.49 ฿49.63

-4.70%

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

$37.6K $37.6K

$26.6K ฿884.9K

41.50%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.0K ฿899.8K

-3.28%

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

$168 $168

$102 ฿3,411

64.35%

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

$67.2 $67.2

$11.33 ฿377

492.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.8 $59.8

$17.40 ฿579

243.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.04 $40.04

$52.1 ฿1,734

-23.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$15.31 $15.31

$7.69 ฿256

99.09%

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

$1,642 $1,642

$561 ฿18.7K

192.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.1K $37.1K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

222.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 $57.9

$63.0 ฿2,098

-8.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.92 $39.92

$29.52 ฿983

35.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$98.0 ฿3,263

-5.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$88.5 ฿2,946

65.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 $2,085

$738 ฿24.6K

182.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 $1,836

$482 ฿16.1K

280.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,715 $3,715

$2,107 ฿70.1K

76.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 $3,537

$1,226 ฿40.8K

188.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,191 $7,191

$3,617 ฿120.4K

98.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,836 $6,836

$2,603 ฿86.7K

162.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,286 $4,286

$494 ฿16.4K

768.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.13

5.57

10.05%

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

Last update for Long Beach, CA: September 15, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,085 in Long Beach, CA and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Beach, CA pays 768% 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 $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $427 vs $274 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 159% in total monthly costs ($3,193 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 768% higher in Long Beach, CA, 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: $2,085 in Long Beach, CA versus $738 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 $32.00 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 $3,193 per month in Long Beach, CA versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 159% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,193 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 159% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.