Cost of Living Comparison Between Novi, MI and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Novi, MI and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,558 in Novi, MI versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,828 in Novi, MI versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,097 in Novi, MI versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Novi, MI is roughly 102% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Novi, MI is 91% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.18 $17.18

$4.70 ฿153

265.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.6 $88.6

$45.37 ฿1,482

95.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 $8.42

$8.43 ฿275

-0.12%

Cappuccino

$4.12 $4.12

$2.93 ฿95.6

40.61%

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

$4.04 $4.04

$0.69 ฿22.40

485.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.37 ฿11.99

521.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.33 $6.33

$2.41 ฿78.6

162.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.72 ฿122

5.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.23 ฿72.9

-60.54%

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$1.83 ฿59.8

115.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.17 ฿70.8

171.89%

Eggs

$3.48 $3.48

$2.21 ฿72.3

57.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.58 $19.58

$19.74 ฿645

-0.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.23 $14.23

$3.63 ฿119

292.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.40 $25.40

$13.53 ฿442

87.73%

Apples (1kg)

$8.13 $8.13

$3.28 ฿107

147.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.61 ฿52.6

68.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.41 ฿78.6

91.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.08 ฿68.1

146.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.53 ฿49.93

51.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.48 ฿48.36

83.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 $1.84

$0.99 ฿32.29

85.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.51 ฿16.67

331.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.07 $8.07

$4.41 ฿144

82.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.52 $14.52

$19.38 ฿633

-25.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.78 ฿58.1

4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.71 ฿88.6

22.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.37 ฿44.79

44.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.52 $3.52

$3.02 ฿98.6

16.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.99 ฿32.48

61.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.29 $29.29

$14.10 ฿461

107.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.36 ฿44.51

-37.50%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

4.37%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-23.08%

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

$191 $191

$122 ฿3,975

56.68%

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

$39.43 $39.43

$13.57 ฿443

190.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$94.9 $94.9

$18.31 ฿598

418.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.32 $30.32

$60.2 ฿1,967

-49.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$12.06 $12.06

$8.69 ฿284

38.78%

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

$1,569 $1,569

$693 ฿22.6K

126.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K $17.9K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

13.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.29 $44.29

$59.5 ฿1,944

-25.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.31 $39.31

$34.77 ฿1,136

13.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$115 ฿3,743

-9.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.0 $85.0

$83.3 ฿2,720

1.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,686 $1,686

$613 ฿20.0K

174.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,228 $1,228

$437 ฿14.3K

180.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,845 $2,845

$2,094 ฿68.4K

35.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 $2,102

$1,509 ฿49.3K

39.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,658 $2,658

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-29.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,409 $2,409

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-7.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,281 $6,281

$508 ฿16.6K

1136.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

5.33

24.39%

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

Last update for Novi, MI: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,686 in Novi, MI and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Novi, MI pays 1136% 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: $89.0 in Novi, MI vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $484 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

Novi, MI vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Novi, MI and Phuket differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($2,558 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Novi, MI pays 1136% 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: $1,686 in Novi, MI versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 65% higher in Novi, MI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,558 per month in Novi, MI versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,558 in Novi, MI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Novi, MI. 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, Novi, MI 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 102% less than in Novi, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.