๐A single person spends $1,270 per month in Phuket vs $2,652 in Hope, AR, rent included.
๐A couple spends around $2,304 per month in Phuket vs $3,804 in Hope, AR, rent included.
๐A family of three spends $3,339 per month in Phuket vs $4,955 in Hope, AR, rent included.
๐Phuket is about 52% cheaper than Hope, AR, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐Phuket sits 5% below the global median, while Hope, AR is 98% above โ they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Hope, AR
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.66เธฟ150
$17.85$17.85
-73.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.44เธฟ1,496
$75.7$75.7
-38.67%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.68เธฟ280
$9.97$9.97
-12.94%
Cappuccino
$2.95เธฟ95.0
$4.75$4.75
-37.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70เธฟ22.52
$1.65$1.65
-57.58%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39เธฟ12.70
$1.92$1.92
-79.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53เธฟ81.6
$6.12$6.12
-58.66%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78เธฟ122
$8.13$8.13
-53.51%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Hope, AR
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.22เธฟ71.5
$0.96$0.96
131.25%
White Bread(500g)
$1.80เธฟ57.8
$2.94$2.94
-38.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.19เธฟ70.4
$7.90$7.90
-72.28%
Eggs
$2.31เธฟ74.5
$3.38$3.38
-31.66%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.34เธฟ623
$6.11$6.11
216.53%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.77เธฟ121
$14.24$14.24
-73.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.22เธฟ426
$18.72$18.72
-29.38%
Apples(1kg)
$3.33เธฟ107
$6.13$6.13
-45.68%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65เธฟ53.1
$1.44$1.44
14.58%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.29เธฟ73.7
$4.13$4.13
-44.55%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99เธฟ64.1
$5.12$5.12
-61.13%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53เธฟ49.24
$3.63$3.63
-57.85%
Onion(1kg)
$1.51เธฟ48.77
$3.97$3.97
-61.96%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03เธฟ33.12
$2.26$2.26
-54.42%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51เธฟ16.57
$3.99$3.99
-87.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41เธฟ142
$10.37$10.37
-57.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.41เธฟ625
$14.92$14.92
30.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.80เธฟ58.0
$1.71$1.71
5.26%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.68เธฟ86.4
$2.96$2.96
-9.46%
๐ Getting Around
Phuket
Hope, AR
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.43เธฟ46.11
$2.03$2.03
-29.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.70เธฟ377
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.04เธฟ97.9
$3.04$3.04
-
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04เธฟ33.37
$1.69$1.69
-38.46%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.68เธฟ441
$29.35$29.35
-53.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30เธฟ41.85
$0.73$0.73
78.08%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.9Kเธฟ898.9K
$35.3K$35.3K
-20.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.0Kเธฟ1.1M
$31.5K$31.5K
4.77%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Hope, AR
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123เธฟ3,962
$191$191
-35.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.82เธฟ445
$46.42$46.42
-70.23%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.86เธฟ608
$63.8$63.8
-70.45%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Hope, AR
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.2เธฟ1,970
$42.40$42.40
44.22%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.81เธฟ541
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.87เธฟ286
$15.08$15.08
-41.18%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Hope, AR
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$696เธฟ22.4K
$1,334$1,334
-47.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.1Kเธฟ517.4K
$23.6K$23.6K
-31.82%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Hope, AR
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3เธฟ1,910
$54.8$54.8
8.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.85เธฟ1,123
$35.53$35.53
-1.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113เธฟ3,646
$104$104
8.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.1เธฟ2,740
$108$108
-21.48%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Hope, AR
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$615เธฟ19.8K
$1,627$1,627
-62.18%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448เธฟ14.4K
$1,374$1,374
-67.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,085เธฟ67.2K
$2,658$2,658
-21.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496เธฟ48.2K
$2,238$2,238
-33.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,734เธฟ120.3K
$2,901$2,901
28.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,662เธฟ85.8K
$2,475$2,475
7.53%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Hope, AR
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$534เธฟ17.2K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.49
-17.87%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Last update for Hope, AR: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A central one-bedroom costs $615 in Phuket versus $1,627 in Hope, AR. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
๐A mid-range dinner for two costs $46 in Phuket versus $76 in Hope, AR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $431 โ making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Hope, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Phuket and Hope, AR compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,270 in Phuket, $2,652 in Hope, AR โ roughly 109% apart. Hope, AR costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Hope, AR?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,904 per month in Phuket and $3,978 in Hope, AR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Phuket and Hope, AR?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $76.0 in Hope, AR. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 48% more in Hope, AR, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,270, than in Hope, AR at $2,652. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hope, AR it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Hope, AR?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,270 in Phuket to $2,652 in Hope, AR. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Phuket or Hope, AR safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Phuket and Hope, AR?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hope, AR makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.