๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,739 in Marathon, FL versus $1,232 in Phuket.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,967 in Marathon, FL versus $2,255 in Phuket.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,195 in Marathon, FL versus $3,279 in Phuket.
๐Living in Marathon, FL is roughly 122% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Marathon, FL is 105% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.21$20.21
$4.63เธฟ150
336.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.5$74.5
$46.84เธฟ1,515
59.01%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.16$10.16
$8.84เธฟ286
14.93%
Cappuccino
$6.09$6.09
$3.00เธฟ96.9
103.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86$2.86
$0.74เธฟ23.98
286.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91$1.91
$0.37เธฟ11.82
416.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.18$6.18
$2.44เธฟ78.9
153.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.64$9.64
$3.61เธฟ117
167.04%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.07$1.07
$2.26เธฟ73.1
-52.65%
White Bread(500g)
$2.91$2.91
$1.84เธฟ59.5
58.15%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.24$5.24
$2.24เธฟ72.6
133.93%
Eggs
$4.56$4.56
$2.32เธฟ74.9
96.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$21.08$21.08
$19.67เธฟ636
7.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.05$14.05
$3.65เธฟ118
284.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.72$15.72
$13.10เธฟ424
20.00%
Apples(1kg)
$4.75$4.75
$3.39เธฟ110
40.12%
Banana(1kg)
$1.74$1.74
$1.64เธฟ53.1
6.10%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.74$5.74
$2.41เธฟ78.1
138.17%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.58$5.58
$2.03เธฟ65.6
174.88%
Potato(1kg)
$3.70$3.70
$1.56เธฟ50.3
137.18%
Onion(1kg)
$3.83$3.83
$1.50เธฟ48.40
155.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.06$2.06
$1.02เธฟ33.13
101.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.03$2.03
$0.49เธฟ15.82
314.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.61$8.61
$4.45เธฟ144
93.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.05$13.05
$18.88เธฟ610
-30.88%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76$1.76
$1.78เธฟ57.4
-1.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96$1.96
$2.75เธฟ89.1
-28.73%
๐ Getting Around
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.94$1.94
$1.40เธฟ45.31
38.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.48เธฟ371
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.46$2.46
$3.12เธฟ101
-21.15%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.59$1.59
$1.00เธฟ32.31
59.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.13$29.13
$14.09เธฟ456
106.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.84$0.84
$1.35เธฟ43.70
-37.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.3K$36.3K
$27.2Kเธฟ879.1K
33.46%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.7K$27.7K
$32.9Kเธฟ1.1M
-15.98%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$255$255
$125เธฟ4,042
103.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$46.90$46.90
$13.57เธฟ439
245.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.4$60.4
$18.52เธฟ599
225.92%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.03$43.03
$61.5เธฟ1,988
-30.01%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84เธฟ545
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.74$14.74
$9.19เธฟ297
60.39%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,103$1,103
$698เธฟ22.6K
58.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.3K$23.3K
$15.6Kเธฟ504.3K
49.37%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.4$53.4
$57.8เธฟ1,868
-7.51%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.59$33.59
$35.24เธฟ1,140
-4.68%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$92.4$92.4
$113เธฟ3,658
-18.31%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118$118
$86.4เธฟ2,793
36.74%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,574$1,574
$616เธฟ19.9K
155.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,345$1,345
$446เธฟ14.4K
201.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,600$2,600
$2,048เธฟ66.2K
26.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,202$2,202
$1,492เธฟ48.3K
47.57%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,641$2,641
$3,779เธฟ122.2K
-30.10%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,102$2,102
$2,649เธฟ85.7K
-20.65%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Marathon, FL
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$524เธฟ16.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.53
5.33
22.51%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Marathon, FL: April 26, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,574 in Marathon, FL and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $74 in Marathon, FL vs $47 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $435 vs $292 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 122% in total monthly costs ($2,739 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable โ 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 $4,109 in Marathon, FL and $1,847 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: $1,574 in Marathon, FL versus $616 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 49% 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 $2,739 per month in Marathon, FL versus $1,232 in Phuket โ a 122% 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 $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,739 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 โ 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 โ expenses run 122% 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