Cost of Living Comparison Between Merced, CA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Merced, CA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,467 in Merced, CA versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,652 in Merced, CA versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,836 in Merced, CA versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Merced, CA is roughly 97% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Merced, CA is 85% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.30 $20.30

$4.55 ฿153

346.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.25 $40.25

$46.18 ฿1,550

-12.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.63 $11.63

$8.84 ฿297

31.56%

Cappuccino

$5.95 $5.95

$3.06 ฿103

94.44%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$0.73 ฿24.36

317.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.40 ฿13.37

407.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.80 $8.80

$2.43 ฿81.6

262.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$3.78 ฿127

168.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$2.26 ฿75.8

-48.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.81 ฿60.8

56.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.25 ฿75.7

43.11%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$2.25 ฿75.4

120.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.10 $11.10

$19.51 ฿655

-43.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$3.65 ฿122

315.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.78 $17.78

$13.05 ฿438

36.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$3.23 ฿109

84.52%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.62 ฿54.3

52.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.38 ฿80.0

-37.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.03 ฿68.0

120.20%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.53 ฿51.5

37.91%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.50 ฿50.4

124.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 $0.98

$0.98 ฿32.85

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$0.52 ฿17.36

457.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.20 $10.20

$4.44 ฿149

129.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.46 $15.46

$18.32 ฿615

-15.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.86 ฿62.6

22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.68 ฿90.0

27.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.41 ฿47.37

7.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.2 $60.2

$11.70 ฿393

414.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.11 ฿104

-0.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.04 ฿35.00

64.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.86 $26.86

$14.11 ฿474

90.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.31 ฿44.02

-6.11%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

5.71%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-18.71%

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

$274 $274

$122 ฿4,110

124.09%

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

$34.81 $34.81

$13.59 ฿456

156.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$18.70 ฿628

257.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.45 $33.45

$60.5 ฿2,031

-44.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.79 $13.79

$16.98 ฿570

-18.79%

Cinema Ticket

$15.68 $15.68

$9.07 ฿305

72.88%

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

$1,979 $1,979

$706 ฿23.7K

180.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

63.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$58.6 ฿1,965

-9.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.10 $44.10

$35.36 ฿1,187

24.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 $89.1

$115 ฿3,876

-22.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$83.7 ฿2,811

66.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,652 $1,652

$626 ฿21.0K

164.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,067 $1,067

$445 ฿14.9K

139.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,011 $2,011

$2,040 ฿68.5K

-1.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,878 $1,878

$1,492 ฿50.1K

25.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,861 $2,861

$3,483 ฿116.9K

-17.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,942 $2,942

$2,577 ฿86.5K

14.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,302 $3,302

$500 ฿16.8K

560.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

5.33

19.32%

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

Last update for Merced, CA: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,652 in Merced, CA and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Merced, CA pays 561% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $40.00 in Merced, CA vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $409 vs $289, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

Merced, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Merced, CA and Phuket differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($2,467 vs $1,250 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 561% higher in Merced, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,652 in Merced, CA versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,979 in Merced, CA versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Merced, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,467 in Merced, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Merced, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Merced, CA 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Merced, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.