Cost of Living Comparison Between Montgomery, AL and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Montgomery, AL and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,077 in Montgomery, AL versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,869 in Montgomery, AL versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,661 in Montgomery, AL versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Montgomery, AL is roughly 66% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montgomery, AL is 51% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.52 $16.52

$4.56 ฿150

262.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.0 $66.0

$32.62 ฿1,073

102.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.86 $10.86

$8.90 ฿293

22.02%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$2.80 ฿92.2

75.36%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$0.88 ฿28.94

171.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.49 ฿16.08

273.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.39 ฿78.5

76.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.71 ฿122

30.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.79 ฿58.8

-53.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.44 ฿47.40

102.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.58 ฿52.1

26.58%

Eggs

$4.38 $4.38

$2.13 ฿69.9

105.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$19.92 ฿655

-75.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$3.43 ฿113

110.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.24 $15.24

$11.33 ฿372

34.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$2.95 ฿97.0

29.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.72 ฿56.6

-28.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.32 ฿76.5

20.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.08 ฿68.4

47.60%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.47 ฿48.34

77.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.36 ฿44.65

69.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.10 ฿36.13

88.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.57 ฿18.89

228.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.59 $8.59

$4.27 ฿140

101.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.09 $14.09

$18.42 ฿606

-23.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.87 ฿61.5

-11.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.92 ฿96.1

11.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.22 ฿73.0

-7.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 $4.25

$3.03 ฿99.6

40.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.07 ฿35.32

79.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.67 $32.67

$3.93 ฿129

731.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.49 ฿49.06

-46.31%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

7.43%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-8.65%

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

$166 $166

$103 ฿3,380

61.94%

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

$67.3 $67.3

$10.99 ฿361

512.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 $72.6

$17.51 ฿576

314.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.82 $36.82

$53.5 ฿1,760

-31.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$9.98 $9.98

$7.48 ฿246

33.42%

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

$1,328 $1,328

$557 ฿18.3K

138.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,277 $8,277

$11.9K ฿389.7K

-30.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 $61.9

$64.1 ฿2,107

-3.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.72 $24.72

$29.07 ฿956

-14.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.4 $76.4

$96.0 ฿3,155

-20.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$90.3 ฿2,970

35.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,287 $1,287

$730 ฿24.0K

76.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 $1,010

$500 ฿16.4K

101.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,637 $1,637

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-21.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,307 $1,307

$1,209 ฿39.8K

8.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,404 $1,404

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-60.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,413 $1,413

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-43.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,580 $3,580

$503 ฿16.6K

611.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.15

5.57

10.41%

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

Last update for Montgomery, AL: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,287 in Montgomery, AL and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montgomery, AL pays 611% 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: $66.0 in Montgomery, AL vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 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

Montgomery, AL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Montgomery, AL and Phuket differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($2,077 vs $1,253 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 611% higher in Montgomery, AL, 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: $1,287 in Montgomery, AL versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Montgomery, AL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,077 per month in Montgomery, AL versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,077 in Montgomery, AL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Montgomery, AL. 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, Montgomery, AL 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 66% less than in Montgomery, AL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.