Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Hays, KS

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $1,778 in Hays, KS, rent and utilities included – about $5,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Hays, KS
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Hays, KS Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Hays, KS

🇺🇸 United States

$1,778

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Hays, KS

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

A single person spends $1,294 per month in Phuket vs $1,778 in Hays, KS, rent included.

Phuket $1,294
Hays, KS $1,778

A couple spends around $2,204 per month in Phuket vs $2,517 in Hays, KS, rent included.

Phuket $2,204
Hays, KS $2,517

A family of three spends $3,115 per month in Phuket vs $3,256 in Hays, KS, rent included.

Phuket $3,115
Hays, KS $3,256

Phuket is about 27% cheaper than Hays, KS, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 4% below the global median, while Hays, KS is 32% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿147

$11.83 $11.83

-62.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,085

$41.42 $41.42

-21.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿292

$8.10 $8.10

7.41%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.5

$4.09 $4.09

-33.50%

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

$0.93 ฿31.25

$2.48 $2.48

-62.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.78

$0.97 $0.97

-48.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿85.0

$3.82 $3.82

-33.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿122

$4.13 $4.13

-12.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.4

$0.83 $0.83

109.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.73

$2.22 $2.22

-34.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$4.30 $4.30

-65.12%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿73.0

$2.05 $2.05

5.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿641

$4.37 $4.37

336.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$8.67 $8.67

-60.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿366

$13.30 $13.30

-18.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿98.8

$6.36 $6.36

-53.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.65 $1.65

2.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.7

$5.99 $5.99

-63.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.4

$4.37 $4.37

-51.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.99

$3.79 $3.79

-61.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿45.95

$2.19 $2.19

-37.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿36.14

$1.94 $1.94

-44.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.32

$1.94 $1.94

-71.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$9.49 $9.49

-53.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿613

$11.97 $11.97

52.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.5

$2.15 $2.15

-17.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿96.8

$3.90 $3.90

-26.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.62

$2.01 $2.01

-27.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,844

$65.1 $65.1

-15.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿50.8

$2.52 $2.52

-40.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿26.06

$1.53 $1.53

-49.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿129

$40.54 $40.54

-90.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.96

$1.03 $1.03

44.66%

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

$26.9K ฿902.9K

$28.2K $28.2K

-4.61%

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

$26.3K ฿884.9K

$26.6K $26.6K

-0.79%

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

$97.8 ฿3,285

$273 $273

-64.23%

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

$11.29 ฿379

$34.81 $34.81

-67.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿577

$63.2 $63.2

-72.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,295

$36.63 $36.63

86.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿367

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿250

$15.02 $15.02

-50.53%

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

$530 ฿17.8K

$925 $925

-42.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿630.9K

$17.8K $17.8K

5.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,072

$24.23 $24.23

154.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿949

$29.97 $29.97

-5.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,225

$103 $103

-6.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,916

$110 $110

-21.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.2K

$806 $806

-10.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.1K

$598 $598

-14.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.5K

$999 $999

95.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿46.9K

$903 $903

54.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿140.8K

$2,596 $2,596

61.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿110.8K

$2,572 $2,572

28.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.5K

$2,362 $2,362

-79.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.57

-15.22%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Hays, KS: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Hays, KS

$598 33.6% 17.5% $89

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Hays, KS

$329 18.5% 23.3% $62

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Hays, KS

$371 20.9% 194% $245

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Hays, KS

$120 6.8% 2% $2.4

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Hays, KS

$209 11.8% 74.9% $90

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Hays, KS

$67 3.8% 19.8% $17

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Hays, KS

$83 4.7% 26.2% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $721 in Phuket versus $806 in Hays, KS. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Hays, KS are about 4.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $41 in Hays, KS. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $329 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Hays, KS

🕒 Local time

10:25 10:25 AM

21:25 9:25 PM

13 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

19,726

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.98 USD

100 THB = 2.64 EUR

1 USD = 0.888 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Hays, KS 14,500 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Hays, KS

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 Hays, KS: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hays, KS is pricier by about 37%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,940 per month in Phuket and $2,667 in Hays, KS. 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 $721 there versus $806 in Hays, KS.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $530 per month in Phuket and $925 in Hays, KS. 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 $1,294, than in Hays, KS at $1,778. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hays, KS 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.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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