Cost of Living Comparison Between Monticello, AR and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Monticello, AR and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,373 per month in Monticello, AR vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,407 per month in Monticello, AR vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,440 per month in Monticello, AR vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Monticello, AR costs about 89% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Monticello, AR sits 73% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.84 $17.84

$4.56 ฿150

291.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.1 $74.1

$32.62 ฿1,072

127.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$8.90 ฿293

33.71%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$2.80 ฿92.2

101.79%

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

$2.41 $2.41

$0.88 ฿28.93

173.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.49 ฿16.08

316.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.81 $6.81

$2.39 ฿78.5

184.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 $7.83

$3.71 ฿122

111.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.79 ฿58.7

-50.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.44 ฿47.38

-20.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.06 $2.06

$1.58 ฿52.1

30.38%

Eggs

$3.36 $3.36

$2.13 ฿69.9

57.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.80 $8.80

$19.92 ฿655

-55.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.68 $6.68

$3.43 ฿113

94.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.52 $8.52

$11.33 ฿372

-24.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.95 ฿96.9

12.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.72 ฿56.6

-23.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.32 ฿76.4

21.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.08 ฿68.4

4.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.47 ฿48.33

119.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.36 ฿44.64

69.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.10 ฿36.12

71.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$0.57 ฿18.89

319.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.29 $8.29

$4.27 ฿140

94.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.67 $13.67

$18.42 ฿605

-25.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.87 ฿61.5

-7.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 $1.60

$2.92 ฿96.0

-45.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.22 ฿72.9

-7.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.03 ฿99.6

-35.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.07 ฿35.31

25.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.09 $20.09

$3.93 ฿129

411.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.49 ฿49.04

-32.21%

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

$37.4K $37.4K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

37.97%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-3.16%

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

$174 $174

$103 ฿3,379

69.40%

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

$39.29 $39.29

$10.99 ฿361

257.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.84 $44.84

$17.51 ฿576

156.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.90 $40.90

$53.5 ฿1,760

-23.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$11.14 $11.14

$7.48 ฿246

48.93%

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

$1,215 $1,215

$557 ฿18.3K

118.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.9K $26.9K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

126.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$23.81 $23.81

$64.1 ฿2,106

-62.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.48 $32.48

$29.07 ฿956

11.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.0 $70.0

$96.0 ฿3,154

-27.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$90.3 ฿2,970

54.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,561 $1,561

$730 ฿24.0K

113.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 $1,192

$500 ฿16.4K

138.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,444 $2,444

$2,090 ฿68.7K

16.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,261 $2,261

$1,209 ฿39.7K

87.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,709 $2,709

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-24.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,503 $2,503

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-0.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.06

5.57

8.80%

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

Last update for Monticello, AR: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,561 in Monticello, AR versus $730 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Monticello, AR versus $33.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $264 in Monticello, AR vs $273 in Phuket – so Monticello, AR 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

Monticello, AR vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Monticello, AR is pricier by about 89%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,559 per month in Monticello, AR and $1,880 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 $74.0 in Monticello, AR and $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Monticello, AR – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in Monticello, AR at $2,373. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Monticello, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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