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 $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $1,067 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $1,641 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $2,216 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

Phuket costs about 19% 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 20% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$8.89 CLP 7,950

-47.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$44.60 CLP 39.9K

1.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$7.78 CLP 6,963

8.35%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$2.86 CLP 2,557

2.45%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.35 CLP 1,205

-48.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.07 CLP 954

-65.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$3.26 CLP 2,914

-26.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.17 CLP 3,730

-10.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.18 CLP 1,058

88.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.53 CLP 1,367

19.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.85 CLP 1,652

17.30%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.49 CLP 3,121

-36.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.51 CLP 9,402

87.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.87 CLP 6,143

-47.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.92 CLP 9,770

23.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.88 CLP 1,678

74.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.55 CLP 1,389

3.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.60 CLP 1,431

50.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$1.44 CLP 1,287

44.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$1.27 CLP 1,139

20.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$1.36 CLP 1,214

8.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.23 CLP 1,097

-19.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.19 CLP 1,064

-57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$5.49 CLP 4,912

-19.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$6.00 CLP 5,368

223.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.54 CLP 1,375

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$2.24 CLP 2,004

20.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.63 CLP 561

117.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.50 CLP 448

504.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$1.44 CLP 1,288

-5.56%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$19.6K CLP 17.6M

43.66%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.2K CLP 18.9M

55.37%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$133 CLP 119.4K

-8.83%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$13.39 CLP 12.0K

1.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$22.26 CLP 19.9K

-17.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$38.96 CLP 34.9K

54.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$21.48 CLP 19.2K

-20.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.56 CLP 4,973

56.29%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$435 CLP 389.4K

59.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$49.71 CLP 44.5K

19.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$30.92 CLP 27.7K

12.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$62.0 CLP 55.5K

84.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$83.1 CLP 74.3K

0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$486 CLP 434.8K

26.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$377 CLP 337.6K

15.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$874 CLP 782.3K

139.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$599 CLP 535.8K

152.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Los Ángeles: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $613 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $45.00 in Los Ángeles. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Phuket vs $229 in Los Ángeles – so Los Ángeles wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 19% 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 $1,898 per month in Phuket and $1,601 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 $45.00 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 28% 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 $1,067, than in Phuket at $1,265. 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 $1,067 versus $1,265 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.