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: $3,552 in Los Angeles, CA versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,465 in Los Angeles, CA versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,378 in Los Angeles, CA versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Los Angeles, CA is roughly 181% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Los Angeles, CA is 167% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.77 $24.77

$4.48 ฿150

452.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$45.59 ฿1,525

120.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.73 $13.73

$8.76 ฿293

56.74%

Cappuccino

$5.85 $5.85

$2.97 ฿99.3

96.97%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$0.69 ฿22.96

310.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.39 ฿13.07

489.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.25 $8.25

$2.53 ฿84.7

226.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.91 $9.91

$3.75 ฿125

164.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$2.15 ฿71.8

-42.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.82 ฿60.7

140.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.18 ฿73.1

170.64%

Eggs

$7.34 $7.34

$2.25 ฿75.2

226.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.47 $12.47

$20.00 ฿669

-37.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.69 $16.69

$3.63 ฿121

359.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.80 $19.80

$13.56 ฿453

46.02%

Apples (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$3.24 ฿109

90.74%

Banana (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.64 ฿54.7

60.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.33 ฿78.0

84.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.07 ฿69.3

137.68%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.55 ฿51.8

100.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.46 ฿48.67

67.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.98 ฿32.94

93.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.48 ฿16.13

358.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.69 $11.69

$4.35 ฿146

168.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.93 $14.93

$18.57 ฿621

-19.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.86 ฿62.1

36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.65 ฿88.8

22.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.42 ฿47.40

24.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$82.1 $82.1

$11.57 ฿387

609.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.17 ฿106

-4.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.03 ฿34.51

61.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.43 $29.43

$13.89 ฿465

111.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.34 ฿44.96

-7.46%

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

$31.8K $31.8K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

14.43%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-21.40%

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

$186 $186

$123 ฿4,116

51.21%

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

$66.9 $66.9

$13.77 ฿461

386.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.4 $71.4

$18.33 ฿613

289.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.71 $48.71

$60.7 ฿2,030

-19.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.71 $12.71

$17.16 ฿574

-25.93%

Cinema Ticket

$18.28 $18.28

$8.87 ฿297

106.09%

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

$1,791 $1,791

$688 ฿23.0K

160.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K $24.0K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

52.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.8 $61.8

$59.3 ฿1,984

4.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.36 $47.36

$34.69 ฿1,160

36.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$115 ฿3,853

-11.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$83.8 ฿2,802

76.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,636 $2,636

$621 ฿20.8K

324.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,065 $2,065

$446 ฿14.9K

362.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,474 $4,474

$2,034 ฿68.0K

119.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,730 $3,730

$1,496 ฿50.0K

149.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,493 $7,493

$3,455 ฿115.6K

116.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,987 $6,987

$2,531 ฿84.7K

176.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,425 $4,425

$494 ฿16.5K

796.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

5.33

21.76%

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

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,636 in Los Angeles, CA and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Angeles, CA pays 796% 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: $101 in Los Angeles, CA vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $475 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

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 181% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 796% 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: $2,636 in Los Angeles, CA versus $621 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 610% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,791 in Los Angeles, CA versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $3,552 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 181% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.