🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,184 in Ashland, OH.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,861 in Ashland, OH.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,538 in Ashland, OH.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 42% less than in Ashland, OH, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Ashland, OH is 63% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Ashland, OH
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$8.18$8.18
-42.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,489
$39.05$39.05
16.18%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿277
$8.03$8.03
4.98%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿96.1
$3.68$3.68
-20.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.50
$1.72$1.72
-59.88%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$1.33$1.33
-72.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿79.0
$4.88$4.88
-50.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$5.12$5.12
-27.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Ashland, OH
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.3
$0.74$0.74
201.35%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿60.1
$2.24$2.24
-18.30%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿71.1
$2.95$2.95
-26.44%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.6
$2.58$2.58
-14.34%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿648
$11.41$11.41
73.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$8.69$8.69
-58.23%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿444
$13.34$13.34
1.42%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿108
$3.60$3.60
-8.89%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.9
$1.13$1.13
42.48%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$3.29$3.29
-26.75%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$3.82$3.82
-45.55%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.2
$1.61$1.61
-4.97%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.58
$2.01$2.01
-26.37%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.44
$2.25$2.25
-56.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.74
$1.50$1.50
-66.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿145
$9.96$9.96
-55.72%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿636
$7.93$7.93
144.39%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.4
$1.91$1.91
-6.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿89.0
$2.49$2.49
8.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Ashland, OH
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.99
$2.99$2.99
-54.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿374
$203$203
-94.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿99.1
$2.48$2.48
21.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.63
$1.32$1.32
-25.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿463
$18.31$18.31
-22.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.71
$0.80$0.80
70.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿925.3K
$27.3K$27.3K
3.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$25.5K$25.5K
28.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Ashland, OH
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,993
$167$167
-26.94%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿445
$33.38$33.38
-59.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿601
$63.8$63.8
-71.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Ashland, OH
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,976
$34.61$34.61
74.00%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿285
$8.27$8.27
5.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Ashland, OH
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.8K
$1,491$1,491
-53.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿514.7K
$14.1K$14.1K
11.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Ashland, OH
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,953
$43.74$43.74
36.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,141
$40.67$40.67
-14.51%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,760
$69.0$69.0
66.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,733
$65.8$65.8
26.60%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Ashland, OH
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.1K
$641$641
-4.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$1,112$1,112
-60.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.7K
$869$869
141.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.5K
$1,257$1,257
20.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿123.0K
$1,824$1,824
105.56%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.8K
$2,018$2,018
29.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Ashland, OH
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
$3,245$3,245
-84.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.51
-18.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Ashland, OH: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $641 in Ashland, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Ashland, OH pays 539% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Ashland, OH. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $293, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.
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 Ashland, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Ashland, OH?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Ashland, OH. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Ashland, OH?
On paper, Ashland, OH earns 539% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Ashland, OH?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $641 in Ashland, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Ashland, OH?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $39.00 in Ashland, OH. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Ashland, OH?
All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $2,184 in Ashland, OH – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Ashland, OH?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,184 in Ashland, OH, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ashland, OH. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Ashland, OH?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Ashland, OH?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Ashland, OH are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Ashland, OH. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.