Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Key West, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $4,854 in Key West, FL, rent and utilities included – about $42,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
230

Cost of Living Index in Key West, FL
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Key West, FL Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Key West, FL

🇺🇸 United States

$4,854

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Key West, FL

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 Key West, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $4,854 in Key West, FL, rent included.

Phuket $1,278
Key West, FL $4,854

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $7,044 in Key West, FL, rent included.

Phuket $2,216
Key West, FL $7,044

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $9,234 in Key West, FL, rent included.

Phuket $3,154
Key West, FL $9,234

Phuket is about 74% cheaper than Key West, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Key West, FL is 257% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$21.78 $21.78

-79.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,093

$101 $101

-67.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$12.08 $12.08

-27.07%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$4.70 $4.70

-39.79%

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

$0.87 ฿29.40

$2.34 $2.34

-62.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.65

$2.00 $2.00

-75.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$5.92 $5.92

-56.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$6.80 $6.80

-45.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$1.04 $1.04

59.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.29

$3.76 $3.76

-61.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$6.57 $6.57

-77.17%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$5.42 $5.42

-61.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$11.69 $11.69

63.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$13.64 $13.64

-75.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$23.55 $23.55

-53.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.8

$4.96 $4.96

-40.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$1.89 $1.89

-10.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$3.72 $3.72

-39.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$5.03 $5.03

-58.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$5.89 $5.89

-74.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.51

$3.40 $3.40

-59.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.95

$3.41 $3.41

-68.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.50

$2.57 $2.57

-79.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$8.18 $8.18

-48.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$14.03 $14.03

33.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

$1.93 $1.93

-5.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.8

$2.28 $2.28

24.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.97

$4.04 $4.04

-64.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,911

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$4.06 $4.06

-25.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.32

$3.05 $3.05

-66.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

$30.13 $30.13

-87.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.75

$0.90 $0.90

63.33%

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

$26.8K ฿903.2K

$34.5K $34.5K

-22.49%

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

$26.7K ฿900.3K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.32%

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

$96.4 ฿3,250

$216 $216

-55.46%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$52.6 $52.6

-78.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$75.0 $75.0

-77.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,268

$80.1 $80.1

-16.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$13.92 $13.92

-46.12%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$1,069 $1,069

-55.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.9K

$21.3K $21.3K

-47.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,103

$47.45 $47.45

31.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿958

$42.08 $42.08

-32.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,180

$72.6 $72.6

29.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,894

$67.4 $67.4

27.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

$3,413 $3,413

-79.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$3,478 $3,478

-85.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$7,139 $7,139

-73.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$6,089 $6,089

-76.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.8K

$9,569 $9,569

-56.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.7K

$9,439 $9,439

-67.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

$5,899 $5,899

-91.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.38

-12.70%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Key West, FL: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Key West, FL

$3.5K 71.7% 609% $3K

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Key West, FL

$457 9.4% 71.8% $191

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Key West, FL

$344 7.1% 176% $219

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Key West, FL

$103 2.1% 15.3% $19

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Key West, FL

$327 6.8% 169% $206

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Key West, FL

$108 2.2% 31.3% $26

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Key West, FL

$36 * 0.7% 49.7% $35

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $3,413 in Key West, FL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Key West, FL are about 12 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $101 in Key West, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $457 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Key West, FL

🕒 Local time

22:56 10:56 PM

10:56 10:56 AM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

24,684

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 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 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.73 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.64 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket Key West, FL 16,410 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Key West, FL

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 Key West, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Key West, FL is pricier by about 280%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $7,281 in Key West, FL. 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 $716 there versus $3,413 in Key West, FL.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket and $101 in Key West, FL. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 72% more in Key West, FL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Key West, FL at $4,854. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Key West, FL 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.

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