😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,678 in Marathon, FL versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,945 in Marathon, FL versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,212 in Marathon, FL versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Marathon, FL is roughly 112% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Marathon, FL is 99% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.93$19.93
$4.56฿149
337.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.9$75.9
$46.63฿1,524
62.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.12$10.12
$8.47฿277
19.48%
Cappuccino
$6.17$6.17
$3.03฿98.9
103.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80$2.80
$0.69฿22.52
305.80%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.95$1.95
$0.37฿11.96
427.03%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.07$6.07
$2.49฿81.3
143.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.65$9.65
$3.66฿120
163.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06$1.06
$2.18฿71.3
-51.38%
White Bread(500g)
$2.86$2.86
$1.90฿62.2
50.53%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.22$5.22
$2.20฿71.8
137.27%
Eggs
$4.73$4.73
$2.22฿72.6
113.06%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$21.19$21.19
$19.99฿653
6.00%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.19$14.19
$3.66฿120
287.70%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.48$15.48
$13.25฿433
16.83%
Apples(1kg)
$4.56$4.56
$3.23฿106
41.18%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64$1.64
$1.70฿55.5
-3.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.60$5.60
$2.39฿78.2
134.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.71$5.71
$2.08฿67.9
174.52%
Potato(1kg)
$3.74$3.74
$1.59฿52.0
135.22%
Onion(1kg)
$3.75$3.75
$1.48฿48.47
153.38%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.98$1.98
$1.03฿33.65
92.23%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.97$1.97
$0.52฿16.89
278.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.40$8.40
$4.25฿139
97.65%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.82$12.82
$18.79฿614
-31.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68$1.68
$1.76฿57.4
-4.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02$2.02
$2.76฿90.1
-26.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.98$1.98
$1.36฿44.47
45.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.36฿371
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.45$2.45
$3.14฿103
-21.97%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.63$1.63
$1.04฿33.85
56.73%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.62$29.62
$13.77฿450
115.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.85$0.85
$1.34฿43.94
-36.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K$35.7K
$27.7K฿904.5K
28.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$28.0K$28.0K
$33.9K฿1.1M
-17.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$259$259
$124฿4,039
109.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$46.76$46.76
$13.52฿442
245.86%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.8$60.8
$18.69฿611
225.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.74$42.74
$61.8฿2,020
-30.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿564
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.03$15.03
$9.14฿299
64.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,120$1,120
$703฿23.0K
59.33%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.8K$23.8K
$15.9K฿518.7K
49.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.9$52.9
$59.5฿1,943
-11.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.39$34.39
$35.07฿1,146
-1.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.9$92.9
$115฿3,767
-19.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116$116
$84.1฿2,747
38.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,581$1,581
$619฿20.2K
155.56%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,380$1,380
$433฿14.1K
218.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,605$2,605
$2,062฿67.4K
26.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,207$2,207
$1,511฿49.4K
46.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,041$3,041
$3,646฿119.1K
-16.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,154$2,154
$2,626฿85.8K
-17.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$507฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.53
5.33
22.51%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Marathon, FL: June 8, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,581 in Marathon, FL and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $76.0 in Marathon, FL vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $432 vs $293 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
Marathon, FL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Marathon, FL and Phuket?
Marathon, FL and Phuket differ by about 112% in total monthly costs ($2,678 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Marathon, FL compared to Phuket?
You'd need roughly $4,017 in Marathon, FL and $1,892 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Marathon, FL and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,581 in Marathon, FL versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 48% higher in Marathon, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Marathon, FL or Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,678 per month in Marathon, FL versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 112% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,678 in Marathon, FL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Marathon, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Marathon, FL and Phuket?
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.
Is Marathon, FL or Phuket safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Marathon, FL 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.
Where should expats move: Marathon, FL or Phuket?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Marathon, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Marathon, FL vs other spots: cost of living compared