Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Cleveland, TN

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,168 in Cleveland, TN, rent and utilities included – about $10,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
105

Cost of Living Index in Cleveland, TN
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Cleveland, TN Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Cleveland, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,168

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Cleveland, TN

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 Cleveland, TN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,168 in Cleveland, TN.

Phuket $1,278
Cleveland, TN $2,168

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $3,263 in Cleveland, TN.

Phuket $2,216
Cleveland, TN $3,263

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $4,359 in Cleveland, TN.

Phuket $3,154
Cleveland, TN $4,359

Living in Phuket costs roughly 41% less than in Cleveland, TN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Cleveland, TN is 59% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$11.33 $11.33

-60.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$38.11 $38.11

-14.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$9.89 $9.89

-10.92%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$4.87 $4.87

-41.89%

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

$2.42 $2.42

-64.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.66

$1.64 $1.64

-70.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$5.83 $5.83

-56.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$7.34 $7.34

-49.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$0.80 $0.80

107.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.32

$2.26 $2.26

-35.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.72 $2.72

-44.85%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$2.53 $2.53

-17.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$8.67 $8.67

119.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$5.65 $5.65

-41.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$10.47 $10.47

4.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$3.82 $3.82

-23.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$1.35 $1.35

25.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.46 $3.46

-34.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$3.02 $3.02

-31.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$1.49 $1.49

1.34%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$2.31 $2.31

-40.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.97

$2.22 $2.22

-51.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$1.82 $1.82

-71.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$7.72 $7.72

-45.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$14.07 $14.07

33.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$1.73 $1.73

5.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$3.20 $3.20

-11.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

$1.94 $1.94

-25.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

$93.2 $93.2

-39.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$2.08 $2.08

45.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.34

$1.92 $1.92

-46.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$31.86 $31.86

-88.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.78

$0.97 $0.97

51.55%

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

$26.0K $26.0K

3.01%

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

$26.7K ฿900.8K

$25.3K $25.3K

5.59%

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

$96.4 ฿3,252

$170 $170

-43.25%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$66.1 $66.1

-82.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$46.46 $46.46

-63.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,269

$24.66 $24.66

172.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$9.89 $9.89

-24.17%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$1,568 $1,568

-69.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.1K

$8,544 $8,544

31.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,105

$33.25 $33.25

87.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$53.0 $53.0

-46.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,182

$87.8 $87.8

7.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,896

$91.3 $91.3

-6.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$1,600 $1,600

-55.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$1,093 $1,093

-55.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$2,430 $2,430

-20.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$2,145 $2,145

-33.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

$2,228 $2,228

87.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$2,194 $2,194

38.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$3,647 $3,647

-86.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.82

-4.30%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Cleveland, TN: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Cleveland, TN

$1.1K 50.5% 123% $603

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Cleveland, TN

$276 12.8% 3.8% $10

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Cleveland, TN

$282 13% 127% $158

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Cleveland, TN

$119 5.5% 2% $2.5

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Cleveland, TN

$239 11% 96.2% $117

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Cleveland, TN

$44 2.1% 45.9% $38

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Cleveland, TN

$113 5.2% 59.5% $42

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $1,600 in Cleveland, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cleveland, TN pays about 7.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $38 in Cleveland, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $276 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Cleveland, TN

🕒 Local time

09:39 9:39 AM

21:39 9:39 PM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

367,991

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 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 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Cleveland, TN 15,220 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Cleveland, TN

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 Cleveland, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Cleveland, TN. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 86% lower in Phuket. 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: $716 in Phuket versus $1,600 in Cleveland, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $1,568 in Cleveland, TN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Cleveland, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,168 in Cleveland, TN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Cleveland, TN. 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Cleveland, TN are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Cleveland, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.