Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Amherst, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $2,512 in Amherst, NY, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, NY
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Amherst, NY Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Amherst, NY

🇺🇸 United States

$2,512

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Amherst, NY

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Amherst, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $2,512 in Amherst, NY, rent included.

Phuket $1,294
Amherst, NY $2,512

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $3,853 in Amherst, NY, rent included.

Phuket $2,204
Amherst, NY $3,853

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $5,195 in Amherst, NY, rent included.

Phuket $3,115
Amherst, NY $5,195

Phuket is about 48% cheaper than Amherst, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 4% below the global median, while Amherst, NY is 86% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿148

$18.08 $18.08

-75.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,090

$78.0 $78.0

-58.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿294

$12.17 $12.17

-28.51%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.9

$5.94 $5.94

-54.21%

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

$0.93 ฿31.39

$2.75 $2.75

-66.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.85

$2.06 $2.06

-75.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿85.4

$6.93 $6.93

-63.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿122

$7.58 $7.58

-52.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.7

$0.88 $0.88

97.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.95

$3.32 $3.32

-56.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$4.32 $4.32

-65.28%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿73.3

$3.96 $3.96

-45.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿644

$11.06 $11.06

72.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿115

$9.98 $9.98

-65.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿368

$15.86 $15.86

-31.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿99.2

$4.91 $4.91

-40.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$1.43 $1.43

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿74.0

$4.39 $4.39

-50.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.7

$5.26 $5.26

-59.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.21

$2.72 $2.72

-46.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿46.15

$2.95 $2.95

-53.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿36.30

$2.40 $2.40

-55.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.41

$2.47 $2.47

-77.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$15.03 $15.03

-70.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿616

$15.05 $15.05

21.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.8

$2.00 $2.00

-11.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿97.2

$4.12 $4.12

-30.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.84

$1.95 $1.95

-25.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,852

$54.1 $54.1

1.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$2.83 $2.83

-46.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿26.18

$2.05 $2.05

-61.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿130

$20.01 $20.01

-80.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$1.18 $1.18

26.27%

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

$26.9K ฿907.0K

$30.6K $30.6K

-12.19%

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

$26.3K ฿888.9K

$25.8K $25.8K

2.19%

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

$97.8 ฿3,300

$234 $234

-58.18%

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

$11.29 ฿381

$51.7 $51.7

-78.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿580

$66.3 $66.3

-74.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,305

$40.31 $40.31

69.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿368

$19.77 $19.77

-44.76%

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿251

$12.88 $12.88

-42.31%

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

$530 ฿17.9K

$1,263 $1,263

-58.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿633.7K

$18.9K $18.9K

-0.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,081

$53.7 $53.7

14.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿953

$44.22 $44.22

-36.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,239

$96.1 $96.1

-0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,929

$115 $115

-24.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.3K

$1,547 $1,547

-53.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.2K

$1,174 $1,174

-56.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.8K

$2,716 $2,716

-28.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿47.1K

$2,269 $2,269

-38.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿141.4K

$2,775 $2,775

51.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿111.3K

$2,351 $2,351

40.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.6K

$4,179 $4,179

-88.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.52

-14.57%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Amherst, NY: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Amherst, NY

$1.2K 46.7% 131% $665

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Amherst, NY

$384 15.3% 44% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Amherst, NY

$352 14% 179% $226

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Amherst, NY

$139 5.5% 13.1% $16

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Amherst, NY

$322 12.8% 169% $202

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Amherst, NY

$66 2.6% 20.6% $17

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Amherst, NY

$75 3% 13.5% $8.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $1,547 in Amherst, NY. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Amherst, NY are about 8.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $78 in Amherst, NY. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $384 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Amherst, NY

🕒 Local time

22:31 10:31 PM

10:31 10:31 AM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

37,819

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Amherst, NY 14,350 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Amherst, NY

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Phuket vs Amherst, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amherst, NY costs about 94% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $1,940 per month in Phuket and $3,767 in Amherst, NY. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $721 there versus $1,547 in Amherst, NY.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $78 in Amherst, NY. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Amherst, NY, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,294, than in Amherst, NY at $2,512. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Amherst, NY 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.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Amherst, NY makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.