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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,547 per month in Monrovia, CA vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,591 per month in Monrovia, CA vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,634 per month in Monrovia, CA vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Monrovia, CA costs about 101% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Monrovia, CA sits 90% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.14 $15.14

$4.70 ฿154

222.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.85 $34.85

$45.37 ฿1,489

-23.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 $9.98

$8.43 ฿277

18.39%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$2.93 ฿96.1

71.67%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$0.69 ฿22.50

197.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.37 ฿12.04

454.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 $8.14

$2.41 ฿79.0

237.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.70 $8.70

$3.72 ฿122

133.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.23 ฿73.3

-51.12%

White Bread (500g)

$5.62 $5.62

$1.83 ฿60.1

207.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.17 ฿71.1

109.22%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$2.21 ฿72.6

104.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.89 $10.89

$19.74 ฿648

-44.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.63 ฿119

20.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 $14.63

$13.53 ฿444

8.13%

Apples (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$3.28 ฿108

99.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.61 ฿52.9

18.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.41 ฿79.0

-10.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.08 ฿68.4

4.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.53 ฿50.2

47.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.48 ฿48.58

46.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.99 ฿32.44

95.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.51 ฿16.74

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.35 $9.35

$4.41 ฿145

112.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.96 $9.96

$19.38 ฿636

-48.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.78 ฿58.4

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.71 ฿89.0

69.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.37 ฿44.99

42.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.03 $20.03

$11.39 ฿374

75.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.02 ฿99.1

34.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 $2.68

$0.99 ฿32.63

170.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.01 $32.01

$14.10 ฿463

127.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.36 ฿44.71

-5.88%

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

$21.9K $21.9K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

-22.45%

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

$22.1K $22.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-32.73%

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

$204 $204

$122 ฿3,993

68.01%

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

$54.0 $54.0

$13.57 ฿445

298.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.26 $49.26

$18.31 ฿601

169.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.78 $42.78

$60.2 ฿1,976

-28.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$14.26 $14.26

$8.69 ฿285

64.10%

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

$1,852 $1,852

$693 ฿22.8K

167.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.9K $40.9K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

160.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$15.09 $15.09

$59.5 ฿1,953

-74.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.12 $40.12

$34.77 ฿1,141

15.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 $77.0

$115 ฿3,760

-32.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 $156

$83.3 ฿2,733

87.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 $1,589

$613 ฿20.1K

159.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,363 $1,363

$437 ฿14.3K

211.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,614 $2,614

$2,094 ฿68.7K

24.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,198 $2,198

$1,509 ฿49.5K

45.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,377 $2,377

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-36.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,047 $2,047

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-21.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,095 $6,095

$508 ฿16.7K

1099.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

5.33

25.52%

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

Last update for Monrovia, CA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Monrovia, CA versus $613 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 1100% higher in Monrovia, CA, 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 $35.00 in Monrovia, CA versus $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $335 in Monrovia, CA vs $293 in Phuket – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,547 in Monrovia, CA, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 101% apart. Monrovia, CA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,821 per month in Monrovia, CA and $1,898 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Monrovia, CA and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,547 in Monrovia, CA and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Monrovia, CA at $2,547. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monrovia, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,265 in Phuket to $2,547 in Monrovia, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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