Cost of Living Comparison Between Newport News, VA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Newport News, VA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,638 in Newport News, VA versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,014 in Newport News, VA versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,390 in Newport News, VA versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Newport News, VA is roughly 109% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Newport News, VA is 97% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.59 $27.59

$4.70 ฿154

487.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.6 $62.6

$45.37 ฿1,483

37.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.43 $10.43

$8.43 ฿276

23.72%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$2.93 ฿95.7

99.32%

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

$3.01 $3.01

$0.69 ฿22.42

336.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$0.37 ฿12.00

508.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.41 ฿78.7

104.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.58 $7.58

$3.72 ฿122

103.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$2.23 ฿73.0

-52.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.83 ฿59.9

107.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.17 ฿70.9

31.80%

Eggs

$2.87 $2.87

$2.21 ฿72.4

29.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 $9.29

$19.74 ฿645

-52.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.19 $15.19

$3.63 ฿119

318.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.32 $19.32

$13.53 ฿442

42.79%

Apples (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$3.28 ฿107

92.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.61 ฿52.7

-36.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.41 ฿78.7

111.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$2.08 ฿68.1

100.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.53 ฿49.97

75.82%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.48 ฿48.41

113.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$0.99 ฿32.32

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.51 ฿16.68

403.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 $8.10

$4.41 ฿144

83.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.07 $16.07

$19.38 ฿634

-17.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.71 ฿88.7

69.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.37 ฿44.83

86.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$55.9 $55.9

$11.39 ฿372

390.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.02 ฿98.7

32.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$0.99 ฿32.51

34.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.55 $29.55

$14.10 ฿461

109.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.36 ฿44.55

-40.44%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

5.18%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-21.95%

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

$208 $208

$122 ฿3,978

71.18%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$13.57 ฿444

338.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$18.31 ฿599

265.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.41 $40.41

$60.2 ฿1,969

-32.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$13.76 $13.76

$8.69 ฿284

58.34%

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

$2,637 $2,637

$693 ฿22.7K

280.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.7K $40.7K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

159.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.75 $42.75

$59.5 ฿1,946

-28.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$34.77 ฿1,137

45.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$115 ฿3,746

-9.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$83.3 ฿2,723

26.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 $1,410

$613 ฿20.0K

129.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,227 $1,227

$437 ฿14.3K

180.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,300 $2,300

$2,094 ฿68.5K

9.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,255 $2,255

$1,509 ฿49.3K

49.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,274 $2,274

$3,749 ฿122.6K

-39.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,269 $2,269

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-13.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,893 $3,893

$508 ฿16.6K

666.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.33

21.01%

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

Last update for Newport News, VA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,410 in Newport News, VA and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Newport News, VA pays 666% 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: $63.0 in Newport News, VA vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $293 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

Newport News, VA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Newport News, VA and Phuket differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($2,638 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Newport News, VA pays 666% 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: $1,410 in Newport News, VA versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,638 per month in Newport News, VA versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 391% less than in Newport News, VA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,638 in Newport News, VA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Newport News, VA. 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, Newport News, VA 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 109% less than in Newport News, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.