🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,563 in Brea, CA.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $4,186 in Brea, CA.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $5,809 in Brea, CA.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 52% less than in Brea, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Brea, CA is 91% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Brea, CA
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$20.21$20.21
-77.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$84.1$84.1
-44.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$9.82$9.82
-9.98%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$5.09$5.09
-41.06%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$2.75$2.75
-73.09%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$1.98$1.98
-81.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$6.90$6.90
-64.64%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$7.14$7.14
-49.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Brea, CA
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.07$1.07
111.21%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$4.09$4.09
-55.01%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$4.56$4.56
-50.88%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$4.42$4.42
-47.51%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$12.36$12.36
59.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$11.61$11.61
-68.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$14.69$14.69
-10.82%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$3.36$3.36
0.89%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.84$1.84
-10.87%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$3.82$3.82
-36.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$5.33$5.33
-61.91%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$3.18$3.18
-50.94%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$3.08$3.08
-51.30%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.96$1.96
-47.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$2.11$2.11
-76.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$10.10$10.10
-55.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$14.89$14.89
26.80%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.71$1.71
4.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$4.50$4.50
-38.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Brea, CA
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$2.02$2.02
-30.69%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$3.97$3.97
-21.41%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$2.77$2.77
-63.90%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$32.10$32.10
-56.11%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.25$1.25
8.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$24.8K$24.8K
9.78%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$26.5K$26.5K
24.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Brea, CA
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$204$204
-38.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$46.54$46.54
-70.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$60.1$60.1
-69.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Brea, CA
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$42.38$42.38
45.07%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$13.79$13.79
-33.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Brea, CA
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$1,210$1,210
-42.31%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$40.2K$40.2K
-61.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Brea, CA
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$70.1$70.1
-17.63%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$34.06$34.06
3.46%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$86.2$86.2
31.17%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$127$127
-32.06%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Brea, CA
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$1,615$1,615
-61.86%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$1,361$1,361
-67.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$2,820$2,820
-27.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$2,994$2,994
-50.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$5,905$5,905
-36.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$5,903$5,903
-55.13%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Brea, CA
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$9,840$9,840
-94.68%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.58
-19.00%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Phuket: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Brea, CA: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $1,615 in Brea, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Brea, CA pays 1779% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $84.0 in Brea, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $393 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Phuket vs Brea, CA: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Brea, CA?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 108% lower than in Brea, CA. 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 Brea, CA?
On paper, Brea, CA earns 1779% 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 Brea, CA?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $1,615 in Brea, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Brea, CA?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $1,210 in Brea, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Brea, CA?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $84.0 in Brea, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Brea, CA?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,563 in Brea, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Brea, CA. 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 Brea, CA?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 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 Brea, CA?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Brea, CA 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 108% less than in Brea, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.