😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,506 in Martha's Vineyard, MA versus $1,232 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,702 in Martha's Vineyard, MA versus $2,054 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,899 in Martha's Vineyard, MA versus $2,876 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Martha's Vineyard, MA is roughly 103% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Martha's Vineyard, MA is 83% above, Phuket is 10% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Martha's Vineyard, MA
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.03$20.03
$4.41฿147
354.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.7$73.7
$32.26฿1,075
128.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$13.23$13.23
$8.93฿298
48.15%
Cappuccino
$5.10$5.10
$2.90฿96.5
75.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.51$2.51
$0.88฿29.33
185.23%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05$2.05
$0.48฿16.03
327.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.88$5.88
$2.35฿78.3
150.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.26$8.26
$3.72฿124
122.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Martha's Vineyard, MA
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.24$1.24
$1.87฿62.2
-33.69%
White Bread(500g)
$4.65$4.65
$1.47฿48.86
216.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.35$4.35
$1.55฿51.7
180.65%
Eggs
$6.16$6.16
$2.10฿70.0
193.33%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.46$10.46
$19.59฿653
-46.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.47$10.47
$3.42฿114
206.14%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.90$19.90
$11.38฿379
74.87%
Apples(1kg)
$6.21$6.21
$2.98฿99.4
108.39%
Banana(1kg)
$3.37$3.37
$1.68฿56.1
100.60%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.33$3.33
$2.21฿73.6
50.68%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.12$3.12
$2.16฿72.0
44.44%
Potato(1kg)
$2.24$2.24
$1.52฿50.8
47.37%
Onion(1kg)
$2.48$2.48
$1.34฿44.59
85.07%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.65$2.65
$1.13฿37.60
134.51%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.87$2.87
$0.55฿18.21
421.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$11.98$11.98
$4.26฿142
181.22%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.31$16.31
$19.09฿636
-14.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.91$1.91
$1.78฿59.3
7.30%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72$2.72
$2.78฿92.7
-2.16%
🚌 Getting Around
Martha's Vineyard, MA
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.99$1.99
$2.23฿74.3
-10.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.74฿758
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.95$5.95
$3.03฿101
96.37%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.59$1.59
$1.02฿34.09
55.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$30.84$30.84
$3.89฿130
692.80%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.95$0.95
$1.49฿49.68
-36.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.5K$36.5K
$26.6K฿885.7K
37.49%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K$25.7K
$27.0K฿900.6K
-4.81%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Martha's Vineyard, MA
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177$177
$102฿3,414
72.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$36.87$36.87
$11.33฿377
225.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.3$52.3
$17.40฿580
200.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Martha's Vineyard, MA
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.68$42.68
$52.1฿1,735
-18.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.07฿369
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.86$13.86
$7.69฿256
80.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Martha's Vineyard, MA
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$2,153$2,153
$561฿18.7K
283.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$24.7K$24.7K
$11.5K฿383.4K
114.97%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Martha's Vineyard, MA
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$39.21$39.21
$63.0฿2,100
-37.79%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.18$24.18
$29.52฿984
-18.09%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$94.9$94.9
$98.0฿3,266
-3.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$132$132
$88.5฿2,949
48.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Martha's Vineyard, MA
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,605$1,605
$738฿24.6K
117.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,352$1,352
$482฿16.1K
180.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,458$2,458
$2,107฿70.2K
16.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,172$2,172
$1,226฿40.8K
77.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,715$2,715
$3,617฿120.5K
-24.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,407$2,407
$2,603฿86.7K
-7.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Martha's Vineyard, MA
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.4K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.04
5.57
8.44%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Martha's Vineyard, MA: September 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,605 in Martha's Vineyard, MA and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $74.0 in Martha's Vineyard, MA vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $429 vs $274 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
Martha's Vineyard, MA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Martha's Vineyard, MA or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 103% lower than in Martha's Vineyard, MA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Martha's Vineyard, MA and in Phuket?
You'd need roughly $3,759 in Martha's Vineyard, MA 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 much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Martha's Vineyard, MA compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,605 in Martha's Vineyard, MA versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Martha's Vineyard, MA and in Phuket?
Childcare runs $2,153 in Martha's Vineyard, MA versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Martha's Vineyard, MA and in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $74.0 in Martha's Vineyard, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Martha's Vineyard, MA or in Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,506 in Martha's Vineyard, MA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Martha's Vineyard, MA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Martha's Vineyard, MA or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Martha's Vineyard, MA compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Martha's Vineyard, MA 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 103% less than in Martha's Vineyard, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Martha's Vineyard, MA vs other spots: cost of living compared