🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,542 in Lewiston, ID.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,768 in Lewiston, ID.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,995 in Lewiston, ID.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 52% less than in Lewiston, ID, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Lewiston, ID is 90% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Lewiston, ID
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$18.67$18.67
-75.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$74.5$74.5
-37.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$10.91$10.91
-18.97%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$5.18$5.18
-42.08%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$2.49$2.49
-70.28%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$2.03$2.03
-81.77%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$6.13$6.13
-60.20%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$7.08$7.08
-49.01%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Lewiston, ID
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.05$1.05
115.24%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$3.57$3.57
-48.46%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$4.38$4.38
-48.86%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$4.33$4.33
-46.42%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$12.22$12.22
60.97%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$11.43$11.43
-68.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$15.52$15.52
-15.59%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$4.78$4.78
-29.08%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.59$1.59
3.14%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$4.30$4.30
-43.95%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$4.68$4.68
-56.62%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$2.92$2.92
-46.58%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$2.89$2.89
-48.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$2.08$2.08
-50.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$2.09$2.09
-76.56%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$9.61$9.61
-53.69%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$13.66$13.66
38.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.77$1.77
0.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$3.27$3.27
-15.90%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Lewiston, ID
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$1.99$1.99
-29.65%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$3.46$3.46
-9.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$1.60$1.60
-37.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$28.65$28.65
-50.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$0.89$0.89
51.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$29.1K$29.1K
-6.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$26.0K$26.0K
26.75%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Lewiston, ID
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$186$186
-32.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$53.0$53.0
-74.42%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$67.3$67.3
-72.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Lewiston, ID
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$42.16$42.16
45.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$13.34$13.34
-31.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Lewiston, ID
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$1,322$1,322
-47.18%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$23.8K$23.8K
-34.40%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Lewiston, ID
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$51.7$51.7
11.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$39.67$39.67
-11.17%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$86.9$86.9
30.24%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$111$111
-21.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Lewiston, ID
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$1,575$1,575
-60.89%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$1,363$1,363
-67.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$2,640$2,640
-22.44%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$2,231$2,231
-33.10%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$2,648$2,648
42.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$2,328$2,328
13.79%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Lewiston, ID
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$2,595$2,595
-79.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.51
-18.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Lewiston, ID: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $1,575 in Lewiston, ID. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lewiston, ID pays 395% 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 $75.0 in Lewiston, ID for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $386 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 Lewiston, ID: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Lewiston, ID?
Phuket and Lewiston, ID differ by about 106% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $2,542 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Lewiston, ID earns 395% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Lewiston, ID?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $1,575 in Lewiston, ID. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Lewiston, ID. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Lewiston, ID?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $2,542 in Lewiston, ID – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,542 in Lewiston, ID, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lewiston, ID. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Phuket and Lewiston, ID?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Lewiston, ID safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Lewiston, ID are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Phuket or Lewiston, ID?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Lewiston, ID. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.