Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chelan, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Chelan, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $2,572 in Chelan, WA, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $3,752 in Chelan, WA, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $4,932 in Chelan, WA, rent included.

Phuket is about 52% cheaper than Chelan, WA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Phuket sits 8% below the global median, while Chelan, WA is 92% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$16.83 $16.83

-72.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,523

$73.2 $73.2

-36.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿287

$12.27 $12.27

-27.95%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿97.4

$5.89 $5.89

-49.07%

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

$0.74 ฿24.11

$2.97 $2.97

-75.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.88

$2.28 $2.28

-83.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.3

$7.61 $7.61

-67.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿117

$11.99 $11.99

-69.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.5

$1.06 $1.06

113.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿59.8

$3.35 $3.35

-45.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.0

$4.48 $4.48

-50.00%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.3

$4.79 $4.79

-51.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿639

$11.09 $11.09

77.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$6.64 $6.64

-45.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿426

$11.01 $11.01

18.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿110

$4.42 $4.42

-23.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.4

$1.69 $1.69

-2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.5

$4.51 $4.51

-46.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.0

$4.47 $4.47

-54.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.6

$2.23 $2.23

-30.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.66

$2.15 $2.15

-30.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.30

$1.93 $1.93

-47.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.91

$2.50 $2.50

-80.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$9.23 $9.23

-51.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿614

$9.96 $9.96

89.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.7

$1.76 $1.76

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿89.5

$5.14 $5.14

-46.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.54

$2.04 $2.04

-31.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿373

$59.9 $59.9

-80.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿101

$2.56 $2.56

21.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.48

$1.65 $1.65

-39.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿458

$30.23 $30.23

-53.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.93

$1.08 $1.08

25.00%

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

$27.2K ฿883.7K

$35.1K $35.1K

-22.58%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$27.6K $27.6K

19.18%

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

$125 ฿4,063

$226 $226

-44.67%

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

$13.57 ฿441

$72.7 $72.7

-81.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿602

$49.61 $49.61

-62.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿1,999

$43.77 $43.77

40.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

$10.11 $10.11

66.57%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿299

$12.05 $12.05

-23.73%

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

$698 ฿22.7K

$2,118 $2,118

-67.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿506.9K

$31.7K $31.7K

-50.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$39.42 $39.42

46.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,146

$24.68 $24.68

42.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,677

$59.3 $59.3

90.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,808

$98.5 $98.5

-12.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.0K

$1,621 $1,621

-62.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.5K

$1,368 $1,368

-67.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿66.6K

$2,642 $2,642

-22.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.5K

$2,185 $2,185

-31.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿122.8K

$2,689 $2,689

40.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.1K

$2,396 $2,396

10.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.0K

$3,923 $3,923

-86.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-11.17%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Chelan, WA: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $1,621 in Chelan, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 649% higher in Chelan, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $73.0 in Chelan, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $341 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chelan, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chelan, WA costs about 109% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $3,859 in Chelan, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket and $73.0 in Chelan, WA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $2,572 in Chelan, WA. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Chelan, WA at $2,572. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chelan, WA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,572 in Chelan, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chelan, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.