Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Ángeles and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Ángeles and Phuket

Name: Phuket
Address: Phuket, TH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,090 per month in Los Ángeles vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,627 per month in Los Ángeles vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,164 per month in Los Ángeles vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Los Ángeles is about 13% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Los Ángeles and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Los Ángeles 18% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.41 CLP 7,828

$4.55 ฿153

84.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.87 CLP 41.8K

$46.18 ฿1,554

-2.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.87 CLP 7,333

$8.84 ฿298

-10.97%

Cappuccino

$2.75 CLP 2,560

$3.06 ฿103

-10.13%

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

$1.36 CLP 1,268

$0.73 ฿24.42

86.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 CLP 958

$0.40 ฿13.40

157.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 CLP 3,028

$2.43 ฿81.8

33.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.13 CLP 3,849

$3.78 ฿127

9.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 CLP 1,109

$2.26 ฿76.0

-47.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 CLP 1,414

$1.81 ฿60.9

-16.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.94 CLP 1,809

$2.25 ฿75.8

-13.78%

Eggs

$3.44 CLP 3,202

$2.25 ฿75.6

52.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.66 CLP 9,928

$19.51 ฿656

-45.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.64 CLP 6,187

$3.65 ฿123

81.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 CLP 10.4K

$13.05 ฿439

-14.64%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 CLP 1,677

$3.23 ฿109

-44.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 CLP 1,473

$1.62 ฿54.4

-2.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 CLP 1,495

$2.38 ฿80.2

-32.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 CLP 1,418

$2.03 ฿68.2

-25.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.24 CLP 1,150

$1.53 ฿51.6

-18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 CLP 1,316

$1.50 ฿50.5

-6.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 CLP 1,180

$0.98 ฿32.93

29.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 CLP 1,130

$0.52 ฿17.40

132.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.54 CLP 5,160

$4.44 ฿149

24.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.90 CLP 5,490

$18.32 ฿616

-67.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 CLP 1,503

$1.86 ฿62.7

-13.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 CLP 2,161

$2.68 ฿90.2

-13.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 CLP 570

$1.41 ฿47.49

-56.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.50 CLP 469

$3.11 ฿105

-83.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 CLP 1,292

$1.31 ฿44.13

6.11%

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

$19.4K CLP 18.1M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-30.12%

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

$21.7K CLP 20.2M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-34.56%

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

$134 CLP 124.7K

$122 ฿4,120

9.35%

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

$13.66 CLP 12.7K

$13.59 ฿457

0.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.90 CLP 20.4K

$18.70 ฿629

17.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.70 CLP 36.0K

$60.5 ฿2,035

-36.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.89 CLP 19.4K

$16.98 ฿572

23.03%

Cinema Ticket

$5.58 CLP 5,198

$9.07 ฿305

-38.48%

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

$428 CLP 399.0K

$706 ฿23.8K

-39.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.96 CLP 46.5K

$58.6 ฿1,970

-14.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.88 CLP 28.8K

$35.36 ฿1,190

-12.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.3 CLP 57.1K

$115 ฿3,885

-46.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 CLP 77.3K

$83.7 ฿2,818

-0.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$486 CLP 452.4K

$626 ฿21.1K

-22.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 CLP 351.0K

$445 ฿15.0K

-15.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$877 CLP 816.9K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-57.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 CLP 548.6K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-60.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.18

5.33

-2.81%

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

Last update for Los Ángeles: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $486 in Los Ángeles versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Los Ángeles versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $289 – making Los Ángeles the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Ángeles vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 15% more than Los Ángeles, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,635 per month in Los Ángeles and $1,875 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Los Ángeles, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Los Ángeles and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Ángeles, where all-in costs run around $1,090, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Los Ángeles it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Los Ángeles costs $1,090 versus $1,250 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Los Ángeles. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.