Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Binghamton, NY

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $2,256 in Binghamton, NY, rent and utilities included – about $12,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Binghamton, NY
🇺🇸 United States
$2,256
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Binghamton, 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 Binghamton, NY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,207 in Phuket versus $2,256 in Binghamton, NY.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Binghamton, NY $2,256

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,037 in Phuket versus $3,410 in Binghamton, NY.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Binghamton, NY $3,410

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,867 in Phuket versus $4,565 in Binghamton, NY.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Binghamton, NY $4,565

Living in Phuket costs roughly 46% less than in Binghamton, NY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Binghamton, NY is 67% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Binghamton, NY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$18.32 $18.32
-75.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$49.62 $49.62
-34.54%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$11.07 $11.07
-22.76%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$4.82 $4.82
-43.57%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$2.14 $2.14
-56.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$1.57 $1.57
-68.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$5.08 $5.08
-49.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$6.14 $6.14
-37.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Binghamton, NY
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$0.83 $0.83
109.64%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$3.52 $3.52
-59.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$4.17 $4.17
-63.31%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$3.79 $3.79
-42.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$12.36 $12.36
54.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$12.00 $12.00
-72.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$14.54 $14.54
-23.38%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$5.37 $5.37
-45.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$1.78 $1.78
-5.62%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$5.11 $5.11
-54.99%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$6.29 $6.29
-66.14%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$3.87 $3.87
-60.47%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$3.58 $3.58
-62.01%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$2.36 $2.36
-52.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$2.96 $2.96
-81.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$14.66 $14.66
-70.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$14.95 $14.95
21.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.69 $1.69
2.96%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$5.02 $5.02
-44.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Binghamton, NY
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
$1.95 $1.95
13.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
$70.3 $70.3
-68.64%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$2.97 $2.97
-2.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
$1.78 $1.78
-43.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
$24.16 $24.16
-84.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$1.02 $1.02
46.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
$28.3K $28.3K
-5.82%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$27.8K $27.8K
-3.83%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Binghamton, NY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$213 $213
-53.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$65.3 $65.3
-82.72%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$64.3 $64.3
-73.00%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Binghamton, NY
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
$51.6 $51.6
1.44%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
$40.33 $40.33
-73.10%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$12.81 $12.81
-40.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Binghamton, NY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$1,302 $1,302
-57.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$7,031 $7,031
63.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Binghamton, NY
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$41.32 $41.32
52.18%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$57.9 $57.9
-50.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$75.2 $75.2
27.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$148 $148
-40.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Binghamton, NY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$1,323 $1,323
-44.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
$893 $893
-48.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
$1,946 $1,946
7.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
$1,666 $1,666
-26.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
$1,419 $1,419
143.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
$1,267 $1,267
96.39%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Binghamton, NY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
$3,684 $3,684
-86.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.65
-16.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Binghamton, NY: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Binghamton, NY
$893 94.1% $433
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Binghamton, NY
$418 56.1% $150
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Binghamton, NY
$343 168% $215
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Binghamton, NY
$145 16.9% $21
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Binghamton, NY
$290 139% $169
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Binghamton, NY
$77 14.5% $9.8
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Binghamton, NY
$90 131% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $729 in Phuket and $1,323 in Binghamton, NY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Binghamton, NY pays 647% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $50.0 in Binghamton, NY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $418 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇺🇸 Binghamton, NY
🕒 Local time
09:39 9:39 AM
22:39 10:39 PM
11 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
47,969
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Binghamton, NY 14,430 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Binghamton, 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 Binghamton, NY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Binghamton, NY cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Binghamton, NY?
On paper, salaries run 647% lower in Binghamton, NY. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Binghamton, NY?
Rent for a central apartment: $729 in Phuket versus $1,323 in Binghamton, NY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Binghamton, NY?
Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Binghamton, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Binghamton, NY?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $50.0 in Binghamton, NY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Binghamton, NY?
At $1,207 in Phuket versus $2,256 in Binghamton, NY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Binghamton, NY. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Binghamton, NY more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Binghamton, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Binghamton, NY?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Binghamton, NY 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Binghamton, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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