🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,083 in Gallup, NM.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $3,015 in Gallup, NM.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $3,947 in Gallup, NM.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 41% less than in Gallup, NM, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Gallup, NM is 52% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Gallup, NM
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$16.97$16.97
-74.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,074
$59.8$59.8
-46.05%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿297
$12.04$12.04
-25.83%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.4
$5.49$5.49
-47.18%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.30
$2.82$2.82
-68.79%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.01
$2.35$2.35
-79.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.3
$6.11$6.11
-61.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$6.93$6.93
-46.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Gallup, NM
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.1
$1.22$1.22
53.28%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.81
$4.38$4.38
-66.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.7
$5.58$5.58
-72.22%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.0
$4.15$4.15
-49.40%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿652
$16.87$16.87
16.12%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$20.68$20.68
-83.46%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿379
$16.71$16.71
-31.90%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.3
$6.07$6.07
-50.91%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.1
$1.30$1.30
29.23%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.5
$3.79$3.79
-41.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.0
$4.60$4.60
-53.04%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.8
$2.76$2.76
-44.93%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.55
$2.07$2.07
-35.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.57
$1.53$1.53
-26.14%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.19
$2.47$2.47
-77.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$10.55$10.55
-59.62%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿635
$13.08$13.08
45.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.2
$2.02$2.02
-11.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.6
$4.25$4.25
-34.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Gallup, NM
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.2
$2.19$2.19
1.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿757
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$3.25$3.25
-6.77%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.06
$1.83$1.83
-44.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$28.98$28.98
-86.58%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.63
$0.91$0.91
63.74%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿884.9K
$30.8K$30.8K
-13.71%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿899.8K
$25.1K$25.1K
7.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Gallup, NM
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,411
$202$202
-49.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿377
$44.08$44.08
-74.30%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿579
$49.55$49.55
-64.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Gallup, NM
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,734
$38.88$38.88
33.95%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿369
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿256
$15.17$15.17
-49.31%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Gallup, NM
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$1,015$1,015
-44.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿383.0K
$15.4K$15.4K
-25.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Gallup, NM
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,098
$48.49$48.49
29.99%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿983
$57.2$57.2
-48.42%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,263
$92.3$92.3
6.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,946
$111$111
-20.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Gallup, NM
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$1,088$1,088
-32.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$750$750
-35.67%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.1K
$1,788$1,788
17.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.8K
$1,084$1,084
13.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.4K
$2,463$2,463
46.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.7K
$2,247$2,247
15.82%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Gallup, NM
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.4K
$2,438$2,438
-79.75%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
5
11.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Gallup, NM: September 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,088 in Gallup, NM. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Gallup, NM pays 394% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $60.0 in Gallup, NM for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $468 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 Gallup, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gallup, NM cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Gallup, NM?
On paper, salaries run 394% lower in Gallup, NM. 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 Gallup, NM?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $1,088 in Gallup, NM. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $1,015 in Gallup, NM. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Gallup, NM?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $60.0 in Gallup, NM. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Gallup, NM?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,083 in Gallup, NM, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Gallup, NM. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Gallup, NM more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Gallup, NM, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Gallup, NM?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Gallup, NM 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 69% less than in Gallup, NM. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.