Cost of Living Comparison Between Newport Beach, CA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Newport Beach, CA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $5,081 per month in Newport Beach, CA vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $7,195 per month in Newport Beach, CA vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $9,309 per month in Newport Beach, CA vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Newport Beach, CA costs about 302% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Newport Beach, CA sits 279% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.12 $25.12

$4.70 ฿154

434.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.3 $99.3

$45.37 ฿1,483

118.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.06 $12.06

$8.43 ฿276

43.06%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$2.93 ฿95.7

78.16%

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

$2.75 $2.75

$0.69 ฿22.42

298.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 $2.06

$0.37 ฿12.00

456.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.19 $7.19

$2.41 ฿78.7

198.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.27 $8.27

$3.72 ฿122

122.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.23 ฿73.0

-44.39%

White Bread (500g)

$5.67 $5.67

$1.83 ฿59.9

209.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.17 ฿70.9

91.71%

Eggs

$5.28 $5.28

$2.21 ฿72.4

138.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.65 $10.65

$19.74 ฿645

-46.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$3.63 ฿119

136.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.66 $14.66

$13.53 ฿442

8.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.28 ฿107

7.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.61 ฿52.7

19.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.41 ฿78.7

61.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$2.08 ฿68.1

156.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.53 ฿49.97

113.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.48 ฿48.41

98.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.99 ฿32.32

39.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.51 ฿16.68

294.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.59 $9.59

$4.41 ฿144

117.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$19.38 ฿634

-21.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.71 ฿88.7

75.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.37 ฿44.83

10.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.6 $93.6

$11.39 ฿372

721.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.98 $3.98

$3.02 ฿98.7

31.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.81 $2.81

$0.99 ฿32.51

183.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.40 $31.40

$14.10 ฿461

122.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.36 ฿44.55

-9.56%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

-14.34%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-25.50%

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

$197 $197

$122 ฿3,978

61.99%

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

$53.4 $53.4

$13.57 ฿444

293.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$18.31 ฿599

281.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$116 $116

$60.2 ฿1,969

92.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.95 $27.95

$17.14 ฿560

63.07%

Cinema Ticket

$13.88 $13.88

$8.69 ฿284

59.72%

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

$1,752 $1,752

$693 ฿22.7K

152.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.5K $35.5K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

126.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 $55.4

$59.5 ฿1,946

-6.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.32 $35.32

$34.77 ฿1,137

1.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 $76.6

$115 ฿3,746

-33.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.9 $85.9

$83.3 ฿2,723

3.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,131 $4,131

$613 ฿20.0K

573.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,671 $3,671

$437 ฿14.3K

740.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$7,110 $7,110

$2,094 ฿68.5K

239.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,942 $5,942

$1,509 ฿49.3K

293.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$16.0K $16.0K

$3,749 ฿122.6K

327.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K $16.4K

$2,616 ฿85.5K

528.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,324 $6,324

$508 ฿16.6K

1144.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

5.33

24.77%

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

Last update for Newport Beach, CA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $4,131 in Newport Beach, 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 1145% higher in Newport Beach, 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 $99.0 in Newport Beach, CA versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $391 vs $293 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Yes – Newport Beach, CA is pricier by about 302%, 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 $7,621 per month in Newport Beach, 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.

Public transport costs about 722% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,752 per month in Newport Beach, CA and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Newport Beach, CA at $5,081. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Newport Beach, CA 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, Newport Beach, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.