Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Angeles, CA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Angeles, CA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,264 in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,231 in Los Angeles, CA versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,199 in Los Angeles, CA versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Los Angeles, CA is roughly 237% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Los Angeles, CA is 209% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.10 $25.10

$4.66 ฿154

438.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$32.22 ฿1,065

275.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.68 $14.68

$8.68 ฿287

69.12%

Cappuccino

$5.86 $5.86

$2.90 ฿95.8

102.07%

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

$3.77 $3.77

$0.84 ฿27.89

348.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$0.49 ฿16.16

483.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 $7.79

$2.48 ฿82.0

214.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.13 $10.13

$3.73 ฿123

171.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.89 ฿62.3

-28.57%

White Bread (500g)

$4.81 $4.81

$1.41 ฿46.54

241.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$1.62 ฿53.6

204.32%

Eggs

$5.77 $5.77

$2.24 ฿74.1

157.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 $12.05

$19.84 ฿656

-39.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.65 $15.65

$3.48 ฿115

349.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.17 $20.17

$11.37 ฿376

77.40%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$2.90 ฿95.8

87.24%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.72 ฿57.0

36.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.27 ฿75.1

116.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$2.13 ฿70.4

166.20%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.47 ฿48.72

122.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.42 ฿46.92

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.10 ฿36.25

84.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.60 ฿19.76

305.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.88 $12.88

$4.31 ฿142

198.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$18.60 ฿615

-19.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.80 ฿59.5

72.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.97 ฿98.0

-5.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.25 ฿74.2

-21.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 $103

$23.49 ฿776

340.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.10 ฿102

-1.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.08 ฿35.56

68.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.69 $31.69

$3.87 ฿128

718.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.43 ฿47.16

6.99%

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

$36.9K $36.9K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

32.75%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-2.36%

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

$294 $294

$105 ฿3,462

180.57%

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

$74.5 $74.5

$11.39 ฿376

553.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.8 $81.8

$17.54 ฿580

366.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 $71.8

$54.3 ฿1,795

32.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 $12.10

$11.44 ฿378

5.77%

Cinema Ticket

$19.29 $19.29

$7.78 ฿257

147.94%

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

$1,762 $1,762

$576 ฿19.0K

205.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.2K $32.2K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

178.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.3 $90.3

$63.6 ฿2,103

41.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 $64.4

$29.10 ฿961

121.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$96.2 ฿3,179

19.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$193 $193

$90.0 ฿2,974

114.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,595 $2,595

$733 ฿24.2K

253.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,384 $2,384

$501 ฿16.5K

376.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,287 $5,287

$2,126 ฿70.2K

148.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,332 $4,332

$1,252 ฿41.4K

245.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,393 $7,393

$3,534 ฿116.8K

109.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,068 $7,068

$2,622 ฿86.6K

169.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 $4,306

$508 ฿16.8K

748.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.57

16.70%

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

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,595 in Los Angeles, CA and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Angeles, CA pays 748% 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: $121 in Los Angeles, CA vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $472 vs $275 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

Los Angeles, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 237% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 748% higher in Los Angeles, 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: $2,595 in Los Angeles, CA versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 340% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,762 in Los Angeles, CA versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $4,264 in Los Angeles, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Los Angeles, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Los Angeles, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Los Angeles, 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 237% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.