Cost of Living Comparison Between Palm Bay, FL and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Palm Bay, FL and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,247 per month in Palm Bay, FL vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,501 per month in Palm Bay, FL vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,755 per month in Palm Bay, FL vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Palm Bay, FL costs about 80% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Palm Bay, FL sits 68% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.89 $24.89

$4.55 ฿153

447.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 $75.8

$46.18 ฿1,550

64.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.00 $10.00

$8.84 ฿297

13.12%

Cappuccino

$5.44 $5.44

$3.06 ฿103

77.78%

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

$2.76 $2.76

$0.73 ฿24.36

278.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.40 ฿13.37

432.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 $6.08

$2.43 ฿81.6

150.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.78 ฿127

29.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.26 ฿75.8

-56.64%

White Bread (500g)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.81 ฿60.8

104.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.25 ฿75.7

100.44%

Eggs

$3.50 $3.50

$2.25 ฿75.4

55.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.98 $13.98

$19.51 ฿655

-28.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.07 $10.07

$3.65 ฿122

175.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.61 $15.61

$13.05 ฿438

19.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$3.23 ฿109

48.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.62 ฿54.3

23.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.66 $5.66

$2.38 ฿80.0

137.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$2.03 ฿68.0

176.85%

Potato (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$1.53 ฿51.5

141.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.50 ฿50.4

154.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.77 $2.77

$0.98 ฿32.85

182.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.52 ฿17.36

384.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.61 $8.61

$4.44 ฿149

93.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.51 $11.51

$18.32 ฿615

-37.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.86 ฿62.6

-8.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.68 ฿90.0

60.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.41 ฿47.37

-29.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.49 $2.49

$3.11 ฿104

-19.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.04 ฿35.00

22.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.68 $28.68

$14.11 ฿474

103.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.31 ฿44.02

-36.64%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

31.97%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-25.48%

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

$118 $118

$122 ฿4,110

-3.80%

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

$52.4 $52.4

$13.59 ฿456

285.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.1 $64.1

$18.70 ฿628

242.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.88 $33.88

$60.5 ฿2,031

-43.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

Cinema Ticket

$8.65 $8.65

$9.07 ฿305

-4.63%

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

$897 $897

$706 ฿23.7K

27.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,031 $7,031

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-55.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.4 $54.4

$58.6 ฿1,965

-7.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.24 $27.24

$35.36 ฿1,187

-22.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$115 ฿3,876

-19.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 $108

$83.7 ฿2,811

28.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,238 $1,238

$626 ฿21.0K

97.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,063 $1,063

$445 ฿14.9K

138.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 $2,044

$2,040 ฿68.5K

0.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,991 $1,991

$1,492 ฿50.1K

33.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,454 $2,454

$3,483 ฿116.9K

-29.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,440 $2,440

$2,577 ฿86.5K

-5.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,612 $3,612

$500 ฿16.8K

622.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.33

22.89%

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

Last update for Palm Bay, FL: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,238 in Palm Bay, FL versus $626 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 623% higher in Palm Bay, FL, 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 $76.0 in Palm Bay, FL versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $405 vs $289 – 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

Palm Bay, FL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Palm Bay, FL costs about 80% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,370 per month in Palm Bay, FL and $1,875 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,247 in Palm Bay, FL and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $897 per month in Palm Bay, FL and $706 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 $1,250, than in Palm Bay, FL at $2,247. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Palm Bay, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $2,247 in Palm Bay, FL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Palm Bay, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.