🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,218 in Florence, KY.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,366 in Florence, KY.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,514 in Florence, KY.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 44% less than in Florence, KY, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Florence, KY is 66% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Florence, KY
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$17.81$17.81
-74.00%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$77.9$77.9
-39.89%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$10.12$10.12
-12.65%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$4.25$4.25
-29.41%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$2.22$2.22
-66.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$2.01$2.01
-81.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$6.02$6.02
-59.47%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$7.19$7.19
-49.79%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Florence, KY
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$0.78$0.78
189.74%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$2.71$2.71
-32.10%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$3.79$3.79
-40.90%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$3.18$3.18
-27.04%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$10.16$10.16
93.60%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$9.47$9.47
-61.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$14.42$14.42
-9.15%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$4.87$4.87
-30.39%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.38$1.38
18.84%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$4.03$4.03
-40.20%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$4.95$4.95
-58.99%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$2.03$2.03
-23.15%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$2.70$2.70
-44.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.86$1.86
-45.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$1.42$1.42
-65.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$8.88$8.88
-49.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$15.89$15.89
18.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$2.10$2.10
-15.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$1.84$1.84
49.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Florence, KY
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$1.97$1.97
-28.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$64.6$64.6
-82.22%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$2.70$2.70
15.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$1.26$1.26
-20.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$25.14$25.14
-43.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$0.82$0.82
64.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$34.3K$34.3K
-20.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$25.3K$25.3K
29.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Florence, KY
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$200$200
-37.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$55.8$55.8
-75.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$58.8$58.8
-68.50%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Florence, KY
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$17.30$17.30
255.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$13.72$13.72
-33.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Florence, KY
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$1,233$1,233
-43.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$13.3K$13.3K
17.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Florence, KY
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$49.39$49.39
16.95%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$43.69$43.69
-19.34%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$87.9$87.9
28.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$101$101
-14.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Florence, KY
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$1,276$1,276
-51.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$1,049$1,049
-57.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$2,167$2,167
-5.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$1,833$1,833
-18.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$1,878$1,878
101.16%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$1,239$1,239
113.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Florence, KY
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$3,453$3,453
-84.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.54
-18.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Florence, KY: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $1,276 in Florence, KY. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Florence, KY pays 559% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $78.0 in Florence, KY for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $339 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.
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 Florence, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Florence, KY cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Florence, KY?
On paper, Florence, KY earns 559% 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 Florence, KY?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $1,276 in Florence, KY. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Florence, KY?
Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Florence, KY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Florence, KY?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $78.0 in Florence, KY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Florence, KY?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,218 in Florence, KY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Florence, KY. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Florence, KY more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Florence, KY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Florence, KY?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Florence, KY 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 – expenses run 80% less than in Florence, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.