Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Melbourne, FL and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,190 a month against $3,243 in Melbourne, FL, rent and utilities included – about $24,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

157

Cost of Living Index in Melbourne, FL
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Melbourne, FL Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Melbourne, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,243

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Melbourne, FL 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 Melbourne, FL and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,243 per month in Melbourne, FL vs $1,190 in Phuket, rent included.

Melbourne, FL $3,243
Phuket $1,190

A couple spends around $4,369 per month in Melbourne, FL vs $2,006 in Phuket, rent included.

Melbourne, FL $4,369
Phuket $2,006

A family of three spends $5,495 per month in Melbourne, FL vs $2,822 in Phuket, rent included.

Melbourne, FL $5,495
Phuket $2,822

Melbourne, FL costs about 173% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Melbourne, FL sits 142% above the global median, while Phuket is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.52 $25.52

$4.35 ฿146

486.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 $74.3

$32.45 ฿1,087

128.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 $10.06

$8.42 ฿282

19.48%

Cappuccino

$5.09 $5.09

$2.81 ฿94.0

81.14%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$0.87 ฿29.29

245.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.46 ฿15.39

332.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.28 $5.28

$2.59 ฿86.6

103.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.38 $7.38

$3.64 ฿122

102.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.71 ฿57.2

-52.63%

White Bread (500g)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.45 ฿48.42

195.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.56 ฿52.3

98.08%

Eggs

$5.59 $5.59

$2.10 ฿70.3

166.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$19.53 ฿654

-31.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.11 $11.11

$3.40 ฿114

226.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$11.14 ฿373

31.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.83 ฿94.8

60.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.62 ฿54.3

-3.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.22 ฿74.5

100.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$2.15 ฿71.9

147.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.49 ฿49.95

93.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.33 ฿44.40

148.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.07 ฿35.72

111.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$0.51 ฿17.01

431.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.55 $9.55

$4.38 ฿147

118.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.72 $15.72

$18.77 ฿629

-16.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.74 ฿58.3

19.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.78 ฿92.9

17.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.17 ฿72.6

71.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.71 $41.71

$22.28 ฿746

87.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$9.94 $9.94

$3.02 ฿101

229.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.06 ฿35.43

72.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿124

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.43 ฿47.88

-27.27%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

$26.3K ฿882.1K

41.17%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.2K ฿877.3K

-0.47%

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

$168 $168

$96.7 ฿3,236

74.12%

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

$59.0 $59.0

$11.41 ฿382

416.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.5 $76.5

$17.11 ฿573

347.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.58 $41.58

$52.8 ฿1,768

-21.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$2.79 $2.79

$11.07 ฿371

-74.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.92 $12.92

$7.65 ฿256

68.89%

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

$888 $888

$555 ฿18.6K

60.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K $20.9K

$11.3K ฿377.7K

85.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.3 $73.3

$63.4 ฿2,123

15.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.0 $58.0

$28.61 ฿958

102.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$96.7 ฿3,238

19.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$88.6 ฿2,967

17.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 $2,032

$735 ฿24.6K

176.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,840 $1,840

$458 ฿15.3K

301.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,799 $2,799

$2,102 ฿70.4K

33.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,486 $2,486

$1,187 ฿39.7K

109.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,445 $2,445

$3,493 ฿116.9K

-29.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,499 $2,499

$2,491 ฿83.4K

0.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,682 $3,682

$501 ฿16.8K

634.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

5.57

23.16%

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

Last update for Melbourne, FL: October 4, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Melbourne, FL

$1.8K 57.4%

Phuket

$458 38.1% 75.1% $1.4K

Groceries & Markets

Melbourne, FL

$407 12.7%

Phuket

$268 22.3% 34.1% $139

Eating Out

Melbourne, FL

$357 11.1%

Phuket

$119 9.9% 66.6% $237

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Melbourne, FL

$304 9.5%

Phuket

$125 10.4% 58.8% $179

Clothing & Footwear

Melbourne, FL

$158 4.9%

Phuket

$125 10.4% 20.9% $33

Getting Around

Melbourne, FL

$76 2.4%

Phuket

$39 3.3% 48.1% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Melbourne, FL

$67 2.1%

Phuket

$68 5.7% 1% $0.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,032 in Melbourne, FL versus $735 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 635% higher in Melbourne, FL, 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 $74.0 in Melbourne, FL versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $268 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Melbourne, FL

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

11:36 11:36 AM

22:36 10:36 PM

11 h ahead of Melbourne, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,068

79,308

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 11, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Melbourne, FL Phuket 16,010 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Melbourne, FL
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

Melbourne, FL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Melbourne, FL is pricier by about 173%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,865 per month in Melbourne, FL and $1,785 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,243 in Melbourne, FL and $1,190 in Phuket. That's a gap of about 173%.

Public transport costs about 87% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,190, than in Melbourne, FL at $3,243. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Melbourne, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.

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, Melbourne, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.