Cost of Living Comparison Between Pago Pago and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Pago Pago and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $799 in Pago Pago versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,400 in Pago Pago versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,002 in Pago Pago versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Pago Pago costs roughly 35% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Pago Pago 40% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.10 $25.10

$4.63 ฿151

442.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$6.93 $6.93

$46.84 ฿1,532

-85.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

Cappuccino

$0.99 $0.99

$3.00 ฿98.0

-67.00%

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

$1.28 $1.28

$0.74 ฿24.25

72.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.44 ฿79.8

-19.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.61 ฿118

-45.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.26 ฿73.9

15.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.84 ฿60.1

59.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.24 ฿73.4

94.20%

Eggs

$4.46 $4.46

$2.32 ฿75.7

92.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$19.67 ฿643

-48.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.28 $11.28

$13.10 ฿428

-13.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.58 $11.58

$4.45 ฿145

160.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$18.88 ฿617

-21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$2.75 ฿90.1

10.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.40 ฿45.81

46.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.12 ฿102

58.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.35 ฿44.19

-2.96%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$125 ฿4,087

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

$30.40 $30.40

$13.57 ฿444

124.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 $75.5

$18.52 ฿606

307.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.09 $49.09

$61.5 ฿2,010

-20.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.82 $9.82

$16.84 ฿551

-41.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.82 $8.82

$9.19 ฿300

-4.03%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 $147

$616 ฿20.1K

-76.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 $199

$446 ฿14.6K

-55.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$902 $902

$2,048 ฿67.0K

-55.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$696 $696

$1,492 ฿48.8K

-53.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$18.2K $18.2K

$3,779 ฿123.6K

381.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K $10.6K

$2,649 ฿86.6K

300.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,220 $1,220

$524 ฿17.1K

132.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Pago Pago: April 28, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $147 in Pago Pago and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Pago Pago pays 133% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $7.00 in Pago Pago vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $292 per month, with Pago Pago 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

Pago Pago vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pago Pago wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Phuket. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pago Pago the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Pago Pago pays 133% 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: $147 in Pago Pago versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $799 per month in Pago Pago versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $799 in Pago Pago versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pago Pago but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Pago Pago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Pago Pago delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $799 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pago Pago hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Pago Pago 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 Pago Pago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.