Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cali Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,087 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,694 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,301 in Cali.

Living in Phuket is roughly 13% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Cali 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$7.59 COP 23.7K

-41.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$38.62 COP 120.5K

-16.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$8.46 COP 26.4K

5.56%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.65 COP 5,153

75.76%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$1.27 COP 3,971

-30.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.85 COP 2,638

-43.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$3.28 COP 10.2K

-28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$3.85 COP 12.0K

-3.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.66 COP 5,172

12.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.95 COP 6,077

-24.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.52 COP 4,744

1.97%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.00 COP 9,375

-30.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$6.48 COP 20.2K

202.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$7.22 COP 22.5K

-52.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$10.39 COP 32.4K

9.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.67 COP 11.4K

-18.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.37 COP 4,284

22.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$1.83 COP 5,713

20.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.77 COP 5,538

22.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$1.46 COP 4,556

4.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$1.54 COP 4,801

-12.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.17 COP 3,658

-3.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.05 COP 3,267

-47.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.79 COP 11.8K

12.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$13.24 COP 41.3K

44.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$1.47 COP 4,598

21.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$2.51 COP 7,833

10.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$1.15 COP 3,603

93.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$30.69 COP 95.8K

-25.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$0.88 COP 2,742

244.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.31 COP 4,093

13.74%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$36.1K COP 112.7M

-25.18%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$114 COP 357.1K

-10.45%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$13.68 COP 42.7K

-17.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$31.26 COP 97.5K

-44.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$29.82 COP 93.1K

74.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$8.36 COP 26.1K

-8.01%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$79.7 COP 248.6K

-20.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$55.1 COP 171.9K

-46.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$130 COP 405.4K

-24.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$114 COP 357.1K

-22.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$666 COP 2.1M

10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$306 COP 955.3K

57.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,627 COP 5.1M

29.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$509 COP 1.6M

140.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$598 COP 1.9M

-17.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.58

-51.90%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $666 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Cali. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $247, with Cali 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 Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Cali. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $666 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Cali runs roughly 35% less than in Phuket. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,087 in Cali versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Cali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.