Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Miami, FL and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $3,815 in Miami, FL, rent and utilities included – about $31,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

185

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

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Miami, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,815

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,815 per month in Miami, FL vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

Miami, FL $3,815
Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $5,814 per month in Miami, FL vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

Miami, FL $5,814
Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $7,812 per month in Miami, FL vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

Miami, FL $7,812
Phuket $2,867

Miami, FL costs about 216% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Miami, FL sits 183% above the global median, while Phuket is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.26 $30.26

$4.58 ฿153

560.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$32.48 ฿1,086

271.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.97 $14.97

$8.55 ฿286

75.09%

Cappuccino

$5.74 $5.74

$2.72 ฿91.0

111.03%

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

$3.48 $3.48

$0.94 ฿31.25

270.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$0.49 ฿16.39

536.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$2.59 ฿86.6

205.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.94 $9.94

$3.83 ฿128

159.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.74 ฿58.1

-18.97%

White Bread (500g)

$4.60 $4.60

$1.43 ฿47.82

221.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$1.53 ฿51.0

286.93%

Eggs

$4.93 $4.93

$2.17 ฿72.7

127.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.66 $18.66

$19.15 ฿640

-2.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.66 $16.66

$3.30 ฿110

404.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.97 $23.97

$11.14 ฿372

115.17%

Apples (1kg)

$5.11 $5.11

$2.95 ฿98.5

73.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.68 ฿56.1

31.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.30 ฿76.8

87.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.13 ฿71.3

107.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.53 ฿51.1

117.65%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.36 ฿45.55

144.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.12 ฿37.44

166.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.55 ฿18.24

303.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.13 $9.13

$4.26 ฿142

114.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$18.19 ฿608

-18.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.74 ฿58.2

43.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.79 ฿93.3

11.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.22 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$112 $112

$22.06 ฿737

408.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.91 ฿97.3

-1.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.01 ฿33.79

99.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.23 $24.23

$3.83 ฿128

532.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.49 ฿49.85

-28.86%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$26.7K ฿891.6K

36.45%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.7K ฿892.7K

-3.73%

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

$179 $179

$99.4 ฿3,321

79.82%

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

$63.8 $63.8

$11.28 ฿377

465.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$17.36 ฿580

324.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.7 $76.7

$52.3 ฿1,747

46.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.47 $22.47

$10.85 ฿362

107.10%

Cinema Ticket

$20.24 $20.24

$7.57 ฿253

167.37%

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

$1,815 $1,815

$558 ฿18.7K

225.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.5K $40.5K

$11.5K ฿383.9K

252.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 $51.2

$62.9 ฿2,102

-18.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.4 $56.4

$28.58 ฿955

97.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$96.1 ฿3,213

5.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$88.1 ฿2,943

48.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,781 $2,781

$729 ฿24.4K

281.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,157 $2,157

$460 ฿15.4K

368.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,746 $5,746

$2,096 ฿70.0K

174.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,915 $3,915

$1,222 ฿40.8K

220.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,044 $7,044

$3,459 ฿115.6K

103.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,699 $3,699

$2,489 ฿83.2K

48.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,103 $4,103

$493 ฿16.5K

732.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

5.57

19.03%

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

Last update for Miami, FL: October 10, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Miami, FL

$2.2K 56.5%

Phuket

$460 38.1% 78.7% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Miami, FL

$496 13%

Phuket

$268 22.2% 46.1% $229

Eating Out

Miami, FL

$442 11.6%

Phuket

$121 10.1% 72.5% $320

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Miami, FL

$316 8.3%

Phuket

$128 10.6% 59.5% $188

Clothing & Footwear

Miami, FL

$153 4%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 18.8% $29

Getting Around

Miami, FL

$134 3.5%

Phuket

$39 3.2% 71% $95

Sport & Entertainment

Miami, FL

$117 3.1%

Phuket

$67 5.6% 42.5% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,781 in Miami, FL versus $729 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 732% higher in Miami, 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 $121 in Miami, FL versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $496 vs $268 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Miami, FL

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

12:59 12:59 PM

23:59 11:59 PM

11 h ahead of Miami, FL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

404,048

79,308

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 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 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Miami, FL Phuket 16,270 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Miami, 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

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

Yes – Miami, FL is pricier by about 216%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,723 per month in Miami, FL and $1,811 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.

Groceries cost about 86% more in Miami, FL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $121 in Miami, FL and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,207, than in Miami, FL at $3,815. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Miami, 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, Miami, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.