Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Manteca, CA and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $2,780 in Manteca, CA, rent and utilities included – about $17,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Manteca, CA, United States
Phuket, Thailand
Manteca, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,780
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Manteca, CA and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Manteca, CA and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,780 per month in Manteca, CA vs $1,294 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Manteca, CA $2,780
  • Phuket $1,294

A couple spends around $3,936 per month in Manteca, CA vs $2,204 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Manteca, CA $3,936
  • Phuket $2,204

A family of three spends $5,091 per month in Manteca, CA vs $3,115 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Manteca, CA $5,091
  • Phuket $3,115

Manteca, CA costs about 115% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Manteca, CA sits 106% above the global median, while Phuket is 4% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Manteca, CA
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.03 $14.03
$4.39 ฿148
219.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.43 $35.43
$32.31 ฿1,086
9.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.03 $12.03
$8.70 ฿293
38.28%
Cappuccino
$5.69 $5.69
$2.72 ฿91.6
109.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 $3.10
$0.93 ฿31.28
233.33%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.47 $2.47
$0.50 ฿16.79
394.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.15 $9.15
$2.53 ฿85.1
261.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.94 $9.94
$3.63 ฿122
173.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Manteca, CA
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.64 $1.64
$1.74 ฿58.5
-5.75%
White Bread (500g)
$4.39 $4.39
$1.45 ฿48.77
202.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.16 $4.16
$1.50 ฿50.5
177.33%
Eggs
$5.87 $5.87
$2.17 ฿73.0
170.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.76 $19.76
$19.09 ฿642
3.51%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.18 $14.18
$3.40 ฿114
317.06%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$21.64 $21.64
$10.90 ฿366
98.53%
Apples (1kg)
$5.00 $5.00
$2.94 ฿98.9
70.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.94 $1.94
$1.69 ฿56.9
14.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.35 $5.35
$2.19 ฿73.8
144.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.48 $5.48
$2.12 ฿71.4
158.49%
Potato (1kg)
$3.51 $3.51
$1.46 ฿49.03
140.41%
Onion (1kg)
$2.89 $2.89
$1.37 ฿45.99
110.95%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.38 $2.38
$1.08 ฿36.17
120.37%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.56 $2.56
$0.55 ฿18.34
365.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.66 $11.66
$4.43 ฿149
163.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.67 $15.67
$18.25 ฿614
-14.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.52 $2.52
$1.77 ฿59.6
42.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.38 $3.38
$2.88 ฿96.8
17.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Manteca, CA
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.04 $2.04
$1.45 ฿48.66
40.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.6 $54.6
$54.9 ฿1,845
-0.47%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.46 $3.46
$1.51 ฿50.9
129.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.01 $3.01
$0.78 ฿26.08
285.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.44 $29.44
$3.84 ฿129
666.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.49 ฿50.0
3.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.6K $37.6K
$26.9K ฿903.7K
39.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K $25.9K
$26.3K ฿885.7K
-1.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manteca, CA
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$273 $273
$97.8 ฿3,288
179.31%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$47.67 $47.67
$11.29 ฿380
322.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$81.7 $81.7
$17.19 ฿578
374.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Manteca, CA
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$44.43 $44.43
$68.3 ฿2,297
-34.98%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.92 ฿367
-
Cinema Ticket
$16.07 $16.07
$7.43 ฿250
116.29%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Manteca, CA
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,784 $1,784
$530 ฿17.8K
236.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.6K $20.6K
$18.8K ฿631.4K
9.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Manteca, CA
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.7 $58.7
$61.7 ฿2,073
-4.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.7 $51.7
$28.25 ฿950
83.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$102 $102
$96.0 ฿3,228
6.28%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119 $119
$86.8 ฿2,919
37.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Manteca, CA
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,583 $1,583
$721 ฿24.2K
119.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,278 $1,278
$509 ฿17.1K
151.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,606 $2,606
$1,950 ฿65.6K
33.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,089 $2,089
$1,397 ฿47.0K
49.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,083 $3,083
$4,192 ฿140.9K
-26.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,184 $2,184
$3,298 ฿110.9K
-33.78%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Manteca, CA
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,294 $5,294
$492 ฿16.5K
976.97%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.83
5.57
22.62%

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

Last update for Manteca, CA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Manteca, CA
$1.3K
Phuket
$509 60.2% $769
Groceries & Markets
Manteca, CA
$488
Phuket
$267 45.3% $221
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Manteca, CA
$403
Phuket
$126 68.6% $276
Eating Out
Manteca, CA
$305
Phuket
$120 60.7% $185
Clothing & Footwear
Manteca, CA
$149
Phuket
$123 17.8% $27
Getting Around
Manteca, CA
$81
Phuket
$66 18.7% $15
Sport & Entertainment
Manteca, CA
$77
Phuket
$83 8.6% $6.6

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,583 in Manteca, CA versus $721 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Manteca, CA are about 11 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Manteca, CA versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $488 vs $267 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Manteca, CA
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
11:11 11:11 AM
02:11 2:11 AM
15 h ahead of Manteca, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
81,592
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.69 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Manteca, CA Phuket 13,480 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Manteca, CA
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Manteca, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Manteca, CA?
Yes – Manteca, CA is pricier by about 115%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,170 per month in Manteca, CA and $1,940 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $721 there versus $1,583 in Manteca, CA.
Is eating out cheaper in Manteca, CA or in Phuket?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Manteca, CA and $32 in Phuket. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Manteca, CA and in Phuket?
Groceries cost about 83% more in Manteca, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Manteca, CA or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Manteca, CA at $2,780. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Manteca, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Manteca, CA or Phuket more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Manteca, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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