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: $1,937 in Montgomery, AL versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,676 in Montgomery, AL versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,415 in Montgomery, AL versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Montgomery, AL is roughly 53% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Montgomery, AL is 45% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.39 $20.39

$4.70 ฿154

333.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.4 $52.4

$45.37 ฿1,483

15.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 $11.16

$8.43 ฿276

32.38%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$2.93 ฿95.7

77.47%

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

$2.43 $2.43

$0.69 ฿22.42

252.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.37 ฿12.00

462.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.41 ฿78.7

75.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.72 ฿122

9.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.23 ฿73.0

-60.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.83 ฿59.9

-16.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.17 ฿70.9

14.75%

Eggs

$3.56 $3.56

$2.21 ฿72.4

61.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.00 $7.00

$19.74 ฿645

-64.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 $8.03

$3.63 ฿119

121.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 $14.69

$13.53 ฿442

8.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$3.28 ฿107

58.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.61 ฿52.7

-14.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.41 ฿78.7

-6.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.08 ฿68.1

66.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.53 ฿49.97

40.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.48 ฿48.41

27.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$0.99 ฿32.32

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.51 ฿16.68

137.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.91 $6.91

$4.41 ฿144

56.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.85 $13.85

$19.38 ฿634

-28.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.78 ฿58.1

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$2.71 ฿88.7

-46.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.37 ฿44.83

47.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.45 $3.45

$3.02 ฿98.7

14.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.99 ฿32.51

22.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.63 $29.63

$14.10 ฿461

110.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.36 ฿44.55

-44.85%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

5.54%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-21.78%

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

$298 $298

$122 ฿3,978

144.45%

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

$50.4 $50.4

$13.57 ฿444

271.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.2 $65.2

$18.31 ฿599

256.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.09 $38.09

$60.2 ฿1,969

-36.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$9.92 $9.92

$8.69 ฿284

14.15%

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

$1,309 $1,309

$693 ฿22.7K

88.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

-35.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$59.5 ฿1,946

-6.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.99 $24.99

$34.77 ฿1,137

-28.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.6 $69.6

$115 ฿3,746

-39.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$83.3 ฿2,723

67.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 $1,246

$613 ฿20.0K

103.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 $752

$437 ฿14.3K

72.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 $1,596

$2,094 ฿68.5K

-23.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$938 $938

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-37.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,373 $1,373

$3,749 ฿122.6K

-63.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,393 $1,393

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-46.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,641 $3,641

$508 ฿16.6K

616.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

5.33

20.45%

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

Last update for Montgomery, AL: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,246 in Montgomery, AL and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montgomery, AL pays 617% 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: $52.0 in Montgomery, AL vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $293, with Montgomery, AL cheaper for home cooking.

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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,937 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Montgomery, AL pays 617% more on average, 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: $1,246 in Montgomery, AL versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Montgomery, AL pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,937 per month in Montgomery, AL versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,937 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 53% less than in Montgomery, AL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.