Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Los Ángeles Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Los Ángeles

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,250 per month in Phuket vs $1,090 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,284 per month in Phuket vs $1,627 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,317 per month in Phuket vs $2,164 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

Phuket costs about 15% more than Los Ángeles, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Los Ángeles are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 6% lower, Los Ángeles 18% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$8.41 CLP 7,848

-45.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$44.87 CLP 41.9K

2.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$7.87 CLP 7,352

12.33%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.75 CLP 2,566

11.27%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.36 CLP 1,271

-46.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.03 CLP 961

-61.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.25 CLP 3,036

-25.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.13 CLP 3,859

-8.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.19 CLP 1,111

89.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.52 CLP 1,418

19.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.94 CLP 1,814

15.98%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$3.44 CLP 3,210

-34.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$10.66 CLP 9,954

83.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.64 CLP 6,203

-45.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$11.14 CLP 10.4K

17.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.80 CLP 1,682

79.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.58 CLP 1,476

2.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$1.61 CLP 1,499

47.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.52 CLP 1,421

33.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.24 CLP 1,153

23.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.41 CLP 1,320

6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.27 CLP 1,183

-22.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.21 CLP 1,133

-57.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$5.54 CLP 5,174

-19.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$5.90 CLP 5,505

210.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.61 CLP 1,507

15.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.32 CLP 2,166

15.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.61 CLP 571

131.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.50 CLP 470

522.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.39 CLP 1,296

-5.76%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$19.4K CLP 18.1M

43.10%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$21.7K CLP 20.3M

52.82%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$134 CLP 125.0K

-8.55%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$13.66 CLP 12.7K

-0.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$21.90 CLP 20.4K

-14.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$38.70 CLP 36.1K

56.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$20.89 CLP 19.5K

-18.72%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.58 CLP 5,211

62.54%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$428 CLP 400.0K

64.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$49.96 CLP 46.6K

17.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$30.88 CLP 28.8K

14.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$61.3 CLP 57.2K

88.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$83.0 CLP 77.5K

0.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$486 CLP 453.5K

28.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$377 CLP 351.9K

18.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$877 CLP 819.0K

132.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$589 CLP 550.0K

153.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.18

2.90%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Los Ángeles: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Phuket versus $486 in Los Ángeles. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket versus $45.00 in Los Ángeles. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $289 vs $230 – making Los Ángeles 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 Los Ángeles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 15% more than Los Ángeles, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,875 per month in Phuket and $1,635 in Los Ángeles. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Los Ángeles, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $45.00 in Los Ángeles. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Ángeles, where all-in costs run around $1,090, than in Phuket at $1,250. In Los Ángeles it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Los Ángeles costs $1,090 versus $1,250 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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