Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ellicott City, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $3,488 in Ellicott City, MD, rent and utilities included – about $26,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index
167

Cost of Living Index in Ellicott City, MD
Learn more

Ellicott City, MD Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Ellicott City, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$3,488

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Ellicott City, MD

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 Ellicott City, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $3,488 in Ellicott City, MD, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Ellicott City, MD $3,488

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $4,646 in Ellicott City, MD, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Ellicott City, MD $4,646

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $5,804 in Ellicott City, MD, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Ellicott City, MD $5,804

Phuket is about 63% cheaper than Ellicott City, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Ellicott City, MD is 156% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$18.21 $18.21

-75.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$95.6 $95.6

-66.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$10.87 $10.87

-18.95%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.5

$5.40 $5.40

-47.59%

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

$0.87 ฿29.43

$3.35 $3.35

-74.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.67

$2.63 $2.63

-81.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.4

$6.97 $6.97

-63.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$8.07 $8.07

-54.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.17 $1.17

41.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.35

$4.11 $4.11

-64.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$3.81 $3.81

-60.63%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$4.58 $4.58

-54.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿644

$16.91 $16.91

12.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$13.00 $13.00

-74.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$18.52 $18.52

-41.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿99.0

$6.17 $6.17

-52.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$1.59 $1.59

6.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$4.13 $4.13

-45.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$4.08 $4.08

-49.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$2.23 $2.23

-32.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.67 $2.67

-48.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.99

$2.35 $2.35

-54.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.52

$2.23 $2.23

-76.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$13.49 $13.49

-68.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$15.37 $15.37

22.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$2.68 $2.68

-32.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$3.14 $3.14

-9.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$1.78 $1.78

69.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.36

$1.34 $1.34

-23.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$24.13 $24.13

-84.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.81

$0.94 $0.94

56.38%

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

$26.8K ฿904.3K

$23.1K $23.1K

16.11%

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

$26.7K ฿901.3K

$24.1K $24.1K

10.70%

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

$96.4 ฿3,254

$208 $208

-53.74%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$49.91 $49.91

-77.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$79.9 $79.9

-78.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,270

$112 $112

-39.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$14.57 $14.57

-48.52%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$1,921 $1,921

-75.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

$34.9K $34.9K

-67.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,106

$52.5 $52.5

18.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$56.7 $56.7

-49.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,184

$93.5 $93.5

0.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,898

$112 $112

-23.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$2,498 $2,498

-71.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$2,107 $2,107

-76.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.1K

$3,056 $3,056

-36.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$2,695 $2,695

-46.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$2,635 $2,635

15.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$5,000 $5,000

-89.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.79

-17.97%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Ellicott City, MD: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Ellicott City, MD

$2.1K 60.4% 329% $1.6K

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Ellicott City, MD

$433 12.4% 62.8% $167

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Ellicott City, MD

$338 9.7% 172% $214

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Ellicott City, MD

$142 4.1% 16.1% $20

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Ellicott City, MD

$318 9.1% 161% $196

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Ellicott City, MD

$141 4% 71.4% $59

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Ellicott City, MD

$8.5 * 0.2% 88% $62

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $2,498 in Ellicott City, MD. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Ellicott City, MD are about 10 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $96 in Ellicott City, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $433 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Ellicott City, MD

🕒 Local time

03:48 3:48 AM

16:48 4:48 PM

11 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

65,834

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Ellicott City, MD 14,750 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Ellicott City, MD

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 Ellicott City, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ellicott City, MD is pricier by about 173%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $5,232 in Ellicott City, MD. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $2,498 in Ellicott City, MD.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $3,488 in Ellicott City, MD. That makes Phuket about 63% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $1,921 in Ellicott City, MD. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Ellicott City, MD at $3,488. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ellicott City, MD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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