😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,068 in Moab, UT versus $1,253 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,350 in Moab, UT versus $2,043 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,631 in Moab, UT versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Moab, UT is roughly 65% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Moab, UT is 51% above, Phuket is 9% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Moab, UT
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.93$19.93
$4.56฿150
337.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$61.0$61.0
$32.62฿1,072
87.03%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$14.07$14.07
$8.90฿293
58.09%
Cappuccino
$5.05$5.05
$2.80฿92.2
80.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.55$2.55
$0.88฿28.93
189.77%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.90$1.90
$0.49฿16.08
287.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.93$5.93
$2.39฿78.5
148.12%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.12$6.12
$3.71฿122
64.96%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Moab, UT
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.97$0.97
$1.79฿58.7
-45.81%
White Bread(500g)
$3.08$3.08
$1.44฿47.38
113.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.71$1.71
$1.58฿52.1
8.23%
Eggs
$2.77$2.77
$2.13฿69.9
30.05%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.93$8.93
$19.92฿655
-55.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.05$9.05
$3.43฿113
163.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.80$14.80
$11.33฿372
30.63%
Apples(1kg)
$5.22$5.22
$2.95฿96.9
76.95%
Banana(1kg)
$1.47$1.47
$1.72฿56.6
-14.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.29$3.29
$2.32฿76.4
41.81%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.61$3.61
$2.08฿68.4
73.56%
Potato(1kg)
$2.24$2.24
$1.47฿48.33
52.38%
Onion(1kg)
$2.13$2.13
$1.36฿44.64
56.62%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.10$2.10
$1.10฿36.12
90.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.14$2.14
$0.57฿18.89
275.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.98$9.98
$4.27฿140
133.72%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.88$12.88
$18.42฿605
-30.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.95$1.95
$1.87฿61.5
4.28%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.11$4.11
$2.92฿96.0
40.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Moab, UT
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.22฿72.9
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.90฿753
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
-
$3.03฿99.6
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.84$2.84
$1.07฿35.31
165.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
-
$3.93฿129
-
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.93$0.93
$1.49฿49.04
-37.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$42.6K$42.6K
$27.1K฿891.7K
56.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$37.5K$37.5K
$27.5K฿902.3K
36.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Moab, UT
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$169$169
$103฿3,379
64.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$70.2$70.2
$10.99฿361
538.58%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$74.0$74.0
$17.51฿576
322.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Moab, UT
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$53.5฿1,760
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.20฿368
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.16$15.16
$7.48฿246
102.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Moab, UT
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,148$1,148
$557฿18.3K
106.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$11.9K฿389.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Moab, UT
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.1$50.1
$64.1฿2,106
-21.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.39$26.39
$29.07฿956
-9.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$81.6$81.6
$96.0฿3,154
-14.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$91.4$91.4
$90.3฿2,970
1.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Moab, UT
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,098$1,098
$730฿24.0K
50.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$968$968
$500฿16.4K
93.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,335$2,335
$2,090฿68.7K
11.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,176$2,176
$1,209฿39.7K
79.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,877$4,877
$3,596฿118.2K
35.63%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$4,514$4,514
$2,512฿82.6K
79.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Moab, UT
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$503฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.33
5.57
13.64%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Moab, UT: August 31, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,098 in Moab, UT and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $61.0 in Moab, UT vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $330 vs $273 per month, with Phuket 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
Moab, UT vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Moab, UT?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,102 in Moab, UT and $1,880 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Moab, UT and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,098 in Moab, UT versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Moab, UT and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Moab, UT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Moab, UT and in Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,068 per month in Moab, UT versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Moab, UT or in Phuket?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,068 in Moab, UT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Moab, UT. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Moab, UT or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Moab, UT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Moab, UT or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Moab, UT 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Moab, UT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.