Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Bar Harbor, ME

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $2,685 in Bar Harbor, ME, rent and utilities included – about $16,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
136

Cost of Living Index in Bar Harbor, ME
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Bar Harbor, ME Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Bar Harbor, ME

🇺🇸 United States

$2,685

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Bar Harbor, ME

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 Bar Harbor, ME actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $2,685 in Bar Harbor, ME.

Phuket $1,294
Bar Harbor, ME $2,685

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $4,173 in Bar Harbor, ME.

Phuket $2,204
Bar Harbor, ME $4,173

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $5,661 in Bar Harbor, ME.

Phuket $3,115
Bar Harbor, ME $5,661

Living in Phuket costs roughly 52% less than in Bar Harbor, ME, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 4% below, Bar Harbor, ME is 99% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿148

$25.31 $25.31

-82.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,090

$122 $122

-73.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿294

$14.72 $14.72

-40.90%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.9

$6.03 $6.03

-54.89%

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

$0.93 ฿31.38

$3.08 $3.08

-69.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.85

$2.49 $2.49

-79.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿85.4

$7.98 $7.98

-68.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿122

$8.02 $8.02

-54.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.7

$1.10 $1.10

58.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$4.71 $4.71

-69.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$8.67 $8.67

-82.70%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿73.3

$3.96 $3.96

-45.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿644

$18.85 $18.85

1.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿115

$10.08 $10.08

-66.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿368

$15.99 $15.99

-31.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿99.2

$4.69 $4.69

-37.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$1.66 $1.66

1.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿74.0

$5.86 $5.86

-62.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.6

$6.90 $6.90

-69.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.19

$6.33 $6.33

-76.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿46.14

$3.71 $3.71

-63.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿36.29

$3.28 $3.28

-67.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.40

$2.48 $2.48

-77.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$12.43 $12.43

-64.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿616

$14.82 $14.82

23.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.8

$1.88 $1.88

-5.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿97.2

$2.55 $2.55

12.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.82

$2.05 $2.05

-29.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,851

$66.7 $66.7

-17.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$3.91 $3.91

-61.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿26.17

$2.20 $2.20

-64.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿129

$29.41 $29.41

-86.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$1.17 $1.17

27.35%

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

$26.9K ฿906.7K

$27.0K $27.0K

-0.56%

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

$26.3K ฿888.6K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.87%

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

$97.8 ฿3,299

$226 $226

-56.81%

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

$11.29 ฿381

$68.8 $68.8

-83.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿580

$78.0 $78.0

-77.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,305

$42.56 $42.56

60.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿251

$13.96 $13.96

-46.78%

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

$530 ฿17.9K

$1,239 $1,239

-57.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿633.5K

$28.1K $28.1K

-33.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,080

$52.9 $52.9

16.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿953

$80.9 $80.9

-65.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,238

$103 $103

-7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,928

$130 $130

-33.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.3K

$1,515 $1,515

-52.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.2K

$1,120 $1,120

-54.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.8K

$2,749 $2,749

-29.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿47.1K

$2,051 $2,051

-31.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿141.4K

$3,062 $3,062

36.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿111.3K

$2,011 $2,011

64.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.5

-14.31%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Bar Harbor, ME: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Bar Harbor, ME

$1.1K 41.7% 120% $611

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Bar Harbor, ME

$468 17.5% 75.5% $202

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Bar Harbor, ME

$373 13.9% 196% $247

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Bar Harbor, ME

$165 6.2% 34.8% $43

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Bar Harbor, ME

$397 14.8% 232% $278

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Bar Harbor, ME

$70 2.6% 15.3% $13

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Bar Harbor, ME

$90 3.4% 36% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $1,515 in Bar Harbor, ME. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $122 in Bar Harbor, ME for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $468 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Bar Harbor, ME

🕒 Local time

23:16 11:16 PM

11:16 11:16 AM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

5,500

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Bar Harbor, ME 14,050 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Bar Harbor, ME

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 Bar Harbor, ME: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,294 in Phuket and $2,685 in Bar Harbor, ME, so Phuket is about 52% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You’d need roughly $1,940 in Phuket and $4,027 in Bar Harbor, ME to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $1,515 in Bar Harbor, ME. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,294 per month in Phuket versus $2,685 in Bar Harbor, ME – Phuket is about 52% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 18% less than in Bar Harbor, ME. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $1,294 in Phuket versus $2,685 in Bar Harbor, ME, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Bar Harbor, ME. 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Bar Harbor, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.