Cost of Living Comparison Between Maui, HI and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Maui, HI and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $4,470 per month in Maui, HI vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $6,142 per month in Maui, HI vs $2,286 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $7,814 per month in Maui, HI vs $3,310 in Phuket, rent included.

Maui, HI costs about 254% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Maui, HI sits 233% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.52 $30.52

$4.56 ฿149

569.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$109 $109

$46.63 ฿1,519

133.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.13 $15.13

$8.47 ฿276

78.63%

Cappuccino

$6.26 $6.26

$3.03 ฿98.6

106.60%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$0.69 ฿22.45

292.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$0.37 ฿11.92

664.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$2.49 ฿81.0

218.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.06 $8.06

$3.66 ฿119

120.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.18 ฿71.0

-3.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.90 ฿62.0

83.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.98 $8.98

$2.20 ฿71.6

308.18%

Eggs

$8.65 $8.65

$2.22 ฿72.4

289.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.09 $12.09

$19.99 ฿651

-39.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.23 $15.23

$3.66 ฿119

316.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.46 $22.46

$13.25 ฿432

69.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.23 ฿105

50.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.70 ฿55.3

32.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.39 ฿78.0

79.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.08 ฿67.7

128.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.59 ฿51.8

79.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.48 ฿48.31

86.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.03 ฿33.54

97.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$0.52 ฿16.83

617.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.40 $9.40

$4.25 ฿138

121.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.18 $20.18

$18.79 ฿612

7.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.76 ฿57.2

-2.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.76 ฿89.8

18.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.36 ฿44.32

150.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$102 $102

$11.36 ฿370

796.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.14 ฿102

8.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.04 ฿33.74

-9.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.49 $29.49

$13.77 ฿448

114.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.34 ฿43.79

-7.46%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

34.25%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-14.58%

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

$386 $386

$124 ฿4,025

212.58%

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

$63.1 $63.1

$13.52 ฿440

366.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.5 $73.5

$18.69 ฿609

293.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.60 $30.60

$61.8 ฿2,013

-50.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$9.14 ฿298

65.54%

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

$1,644 $1,644

$703 ฿22.9K

133.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K $16.6K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

4.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.9 $88.9

$59.5 ฿1,937

49.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.5 $55.5

$35.07 ฿1,142

58.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 $130

$115 ฿3,754

12.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$200 $200

$84.1 ฿2,737

137.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,290 $2,290

$619 ฿20.1K

270.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,599 $2,599

$433 ฿14.1K

500.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,582 $4,582

$2,062 ฿67.2K

122.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,901 $3,901

$1,511 ฿49.2K

158.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,661 $2,661

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-27.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 $2,368

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-9.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,669 $5,669

$507 ฿16.5K

1018.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.66

5.33

24.95%

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

Last update for Maui, HI: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,290 in Maui, HI versus $619 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 run about 1018% higher in Maui, HI, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $109 in Maui, HI versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $507 vs $293 – making Phuket 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

Maui, HI vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $4,470 in Maui, HI, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 254% apart. Maui, HI costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,704 per month in Maui, HI and $1,892 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,644 per month in Maui, HI and $703 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 73% more in Maui, HI, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Maui, HI at $4,470. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Maui, HI it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,261 in Phuket to $4,470 in Maui, HI. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Maui, HI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.