Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Denver

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $2,666 in Denver, rent and utilities included – about $17,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,207
/mo nomad
Denver
🇦🇺 Australia
$2,666
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Denver

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

A single person spends $1,207 per month in Phuket vs $2,666 in Denver, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,207
  • Denver $2,666

A couple spends around $2,037 per month in Phuket vs $3,649 in Denver, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,037
  • Denver $3,649

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in Phuket vs $4,631 in Denver, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,867
  • Denver $4,631

Phuket is about 55% cheaper than Denver, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 11% below the global median, while Denver is 98% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Denver
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.58 ฿153
$16.94 A$24.37
-72.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.48 ฿1,086
$95.2 A$137
-65.89%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 ฿286
$10.72 A$15.43
-20.24%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.0
$4.40 A$6.33
-38.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.94 ฿31.25
$2.80 A$4.03
-66.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.39
$2.56 A$3.68
-80.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$7.83 A$11.27
-66.92%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$7.46 A$10.74
-48.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Denver
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.1
$1.34 A$1.92
29.85%
White Bread (500g)
$1.43 ฿47.82
$2.99 A$4.31
-52.17%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.0
$2.53 A$3.65
-39.53%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$5.49 A$7.89
-60.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.15 ฿640
$9.75 A$14.02
96.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿110
$10.54 A$15.16
-68.69%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿372
$12.60 A$18.12
-11.59%
Apples (1kg)
$2.95 ฿98.5
$3.81 A$5.48
-22.57%
Banana (1kg)
$1.68 ฿56.1
$3.12 A$4.49
-46.15%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 ฿76.8
$3.04 A$4.37
-24.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.13 ฿71.3
$5.08 A$7.31
-58.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿51.1
$2.84 A$4.09
-46.13%
Onion (1kg)
$1.36 ฿45.55
$2.18 A$3.14
-37.61%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.12 ฿37.44
$2.40 A$3.45
-53.33%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$1.44 A$2.07
-61.81%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$43.07 A$62.0
-90.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.19 ฿608
$14.42 A$20.76
26.14%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$4.92 A$7.08
-64.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿93.3
$5.47 A$7.86
-48.99%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Denver
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.22 ฿74.1
$2.65 A$3.82
-16.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.06 ฿737
$89.0 A$128
-75.20%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.91 ฿97.3
$3.98 A$5.73
-26.88%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.01 ฿33.79
$1.63 A$2.34
-38.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.83 ฿128
$38.09 A$54.8
-89.94%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.85
$1.44 A$2.07
3.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K ฿891.6K
$29.0K A$41.7K
-7.98%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿892.7K
$31.1K A$44.8K
-14.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Denver
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$99.4 ฿3,321
$210 A$302
-52.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.28 ฿377
$27.33 A$39.33
-58.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.36 ฿580
$58.6 A$84.3
-70.37%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Denver
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.3 ฿1,747
$53.3 A$76.7
-1.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.85 ฿362
$18.34 A$26.39
-40.84%
Cinema Ticket
$7.57 ฿253
$16.27 A$23.41
-53.47%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Denver
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$558 ฿18.7K
$2,199 A$3,165
-74.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.5K ฿383.9K
$22.6K A$32.6K
-49.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Denver
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.9 ฿2,102
$68.2 A$98.2
-7.84%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.58 ฿955
$48.94 A$70.4
-41.60%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.1 ฿3,213
$104 A$150
-7.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.1 ฿2,943
$126 A$181
-30.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Denver
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$729 ฿24.4K
$1,283 A$1,846
-43.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$460 ฿15.4K
$1,346 A$1,938
-65.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,096 ฿70.0K
$1,924 A$2,769
8.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,222 ฿40.8K
$1,630 A$2,345
-25.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,459 ฿115.6K
$6,041 A$8,692
-42.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,489 ฿83.2K
$4,705 A$6,770
-47.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Denver
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$493 ฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
5.84
-4.62%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Last update for Denver: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$460
Denver
$1.3K 193% $886
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
Denver
$375 40% $107
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$128
Denver
$295 131% $167
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Denver
$156 26.1% $32
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Denver
$296 144% $175
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$67
Denver
$86 27.3% $18
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Denver
$112 187% $73

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $729 in Phuket versus $1,283 in Denver. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Phuket versus $95.0 in Denver. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $268 vs $375 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇦🇺 Denver
🕒 Local time
02:27 2:27 AM
06:27 6:27 AM
4 h ahead of Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
149
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Denver 6,920 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Denver

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 Denver: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and in Denver compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,207 in Phuket, $2,666 in Denver – roughly 121% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Denver?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,811 per month in Phuket and $4,000 in Denver. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Denver?
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.
How do commuting costs compare in Phuket and in Denver?
Public transport costs about 303% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Phuket and Denver?
Kindergarten costs $558 per month in Phuket and $2,199 in Denver. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,207, than in Denver at $2,666. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Denver it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Denver?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,207 in Phuket to $2,666 in Denver. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Denver safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Phuket and Denver?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Denver makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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