๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,359 in Fenton, MI.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $3,355 in Fenton, MI.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $4,351 in Fenton, MI.
๐Living in Phuket costs roughly 46% less than in Fenton, MI, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Fenton, MI is 76% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Fenton, MI
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66เธฟ150
$18.02$18.02
-74.14%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44เธฟ1,496
$70.6$70.6
-34.25%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68เธฟ280
$10.97$10.97
-20.88%
Cappuccino
$2.95เธฟ95.0
$4.79$4.79
-38.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70เธฟ22.52
$2.65$2.65
-73.58%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39เธฟ12.70
$1.63$1.63
-76.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53เธฟ81.6
$5.89$5.89
-57.05%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78เธฟ122
$6.90$6.90
-45.22%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Fenton, MI
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22เธฟ71.5
$0.75$0.75
196.00%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80เธฟ57.8
$2.18$2.18
-17.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19เธฟ70.4
$2.69$2.69
-18.59%
Eggs
$2.31เธฟ74.5
$3.24$3.24
-28.70%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.34เธฟ623
$6.68$6.68
189.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.77เธฟ121
$4.46$4.46
-15.47%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.22เธฟ426
$11.09$11.09
19.21%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33เธฟ107
$2.15$2.15
54.88%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65เธฟ53.1
$1.26$1.26
30.95%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29เธฟ73.7
$2.14$2.14
7.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99เธฟ64.1
$1.92$1.92
3.65%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53เธฟ49.24
$1.07$1.07
42.99%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51เธฟ48.77
$0.77$0.77
96.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03เธฟ33.12
$0.77$0.77
33.77%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51เธฟ16.57
$1.52$1.52
-66.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41เธฟ142
$9.26$9.26
-52.38%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.41เธฟ625
$9.92$9.92
95.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80เธฟ58.0
$1.76$1.76
2.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68เธฟ86.4
$3.53$3.53
-24.08%
๐ Getting Around
Phuket
Fenton, MI
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.43เธฟ46.11
$2.04$2.04
-29.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70เธฟ377
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04เธฟ97.9
$4.62$4.62
-34.20%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04เธฟ33.37
$1.41$1.41
-26.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68เธฟ441
$28.05$28.05
-51.23%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30เธฟ41.85
$0.90$0.90
44.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9Kเธฟ898.9K
$25.1K$25.1K
11.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0Kเธฟ1.1M
$24.2K$24.2K
36.37%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Fenton, MI
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123เธฟ3,962
$120$120
2.15%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82เธฟ445
$40.71$40.71
-66.05%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86เธฟ608
$60.2$60.2
-68.66%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Fenton, MI
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2เธฟ1,970
$43.38$43.38
40.96%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81เธฟ541
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.87เธฟ286
$10.96$10.96
-19.07%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Fenton, MI
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$696เธฟ22.4K
$950$950
-26.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1Kเธฟ517.4K
$20.8K$20.8K
-22.78%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Fenton, MI
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3เธฟ1,910
$39.21$39.21
51.19%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85เธฟ1,123
$40.05$40.05
-12.98%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113เธฟ3,646
$100$100
13.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1เธฟ2,740
$136$136
-37.63%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Fenton, MI
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$615เธฟ19.8K
$1,627$1,627
-62.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448เธฟ14.4K
$1,346$1,346
-66.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085เธฟ67.2K
$2,646$2,646
-21.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496เธฟ48.2K
$2,193$2,193
-31.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,734เธฟ120.3K
$3,014$3,014
23.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,662เธฟ85.8K
$2,178$2,178
22.20%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Fenton, MI
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$534เธฟ17.2K
$5,016$5,016
-89.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.5
-18.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Last update for Fenton, MI: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $1,627 in Fenton, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐFenton, MI pays 840% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $46 in Phuket vs $71 in Fenton, MI. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $227, with Fenton, MI 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 Fenton, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fenton, MI cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Fenton, MI?
On paper, Fenton, MI earns 840% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Fenton, MI?
Rent for a central apartment: $615 in Phuket versus $1,627 in Fenton, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $950 in Fenton, MI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Fenton, MI?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket โ a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $71.0 in Fenton, MI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Fenton, MI?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,359 in Fenton, MI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Fenton, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Fenton, MI more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Fenton, MI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Fenton, MI?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Fenton, MI are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 86% less than in Fenton, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.