😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,432 in Middletown, OH versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,386 in Middletown, OH versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,340 in Middletown, OH versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Middletown, OH is roughly 93% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Middletown, OH is 81% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Middletown, OH
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.81$14.81
$4.56฿149
224.78%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.54$39.54
$46.63฿1,519
-15.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.97$7.97
$8.47฿276
-5.90%
Cappuccino
$1.46$1.46
$3.03฿98.6
-51.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.98$0.98
$0.69฿22.45
42.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.03$1.03
$0.37฿11.92
178.38%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.82$5.82
$2.49฿81.0
133.73%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$8.01$8.01
$3.66฿119
118.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Middletown, OH
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.77$0.77
$2.18฿71.0
-64.68%
White Bread(500g)
$2.75$2.75
$1.90฿62.0
44.74%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.21$2.21
$2.20฿71.6
0.45%
Eggs
$3.53$3.53
$2.22฿72.4
59.01%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$4.45$4.45
$19.99฿651
-77.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.74$8.74
$3.66฿119
138.80%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.06$13.06
$13.25฿432
-1.43%
Apples(1kg)
$5.30$5.30
$3.23฿105
64.09%
Banana(1kg)
$1.12$1.12
$1.70฿55.3
-34.12%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.23$2.23
$2.39฿78.0
-6.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.09$3.09
$2.08฿67.7
48.56%
Potato(1kg)
$2.07$2.07
$1.59฿51.8
30.19%
Onion(1kg)
$2.61$2.61
$1.48฿48.31
76.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.75$1.75
$1.03฿33.54
69.90%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14$2.14
$0.52฿16.83
311.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.03$8.03
$4.25฿138
88.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.81$11.81
$18.79฿612
-37.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78$1.78
$1.76฿57.2
1.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.19$2.19
$2.76฿89.8
-20.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Middletown, OH
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.06$2.06
$1.36฿44.32
51.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.36฿370
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.02$2.02
$3.14฿102
-35.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.74$1.74
$1.04฿33.74
67.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$33.81$33.81
$13.77฿448
145.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.78$0.78
$1.34฿43.79
-41.79%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.8K$33.8K
$27.7K฿901.4K
22.18%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.7K$25.7K
$33.9K฿1.1M
-24.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Middletown, OH
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$235$235
$124฿4,025
90.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.49$40.49
$13.52฿440
199.48%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.94$36.94
$18.69฿609
97.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Middletown, OH
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.91$42.91
$61.8฿2,013
-30.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.25฿562
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.73$14.73
$9.14฿298
61.16%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Middletown, OH
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,781$1,781
$703฿22.9K
153.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$26.9K$26.9K
$15.9K฿517.0K
69.50%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Middletown, OH
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.80$47.80
$59.5฿1,937
-19.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.50$40.50
$35.07฿1,142
15.48%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$90.2$90.2
$115฿3,754
-21.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$121$121
$84.1฿2,737
43.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Middletown, OH
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,573$1,573
$619฿20.1K
154.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,350$1,350
$433฿14.1K
211.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,626$2,626
$2,062฿67.2K
27.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,244$2,244
$1,511฿49.2K
48.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,646฿118.7K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,626฿85.5K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Middletown, OH
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$6,000$6,000
$507฿16.5K
1083.35%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.54
5.33
22.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Middletown, OH: June 6, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Middletown, OH and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Middletown, OH pays 1083% 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 Middletown, OH vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $293 per month, with Middletown, OH 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
Middletown, OH vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Middletown, OH or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 93% lower than in Middletown, OH. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Middletown, OH or Phuket?
Middletown, OH pays 1083% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Middletown, OH vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,573 in Middletown, OH versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Middletown, OH or Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Middletown, OH. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Middletown, OH compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,432 per month in Middletown, OH versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Middletown, OH or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,432 in Middletown, OH, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Middletown, OH. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Middletown, OH or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Middletown, OH compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Middletown, OH 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 93% less than in Middletown, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Middletown, OH vs other spots: cost of living compared