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 $958 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,089 per month in Phuket vs $1,421 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,913 per month in Phuket vs $1,885 in Los Ángeles, rent included.

Phuket costs about 32% more than Los Ángeles, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Phuket and Los Ángeles are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Los Ángeles 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$12.59 CLP 11.8K

-62.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,066

$26.39 CLP 24.8K

22.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$10.78 CLP 10.1K

-19.48%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.9

$2.17 CLP 2,044

33.64%

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

$0.84 ฿27.91

$1.65 CLP 1,549

-49.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.17

$1.58 CLP 1,485

-68.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.1

$2.69 CLP 2,536

-7.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.13 CLP 2,947

19.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.27 CLP 1,193

48.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.58

$2.86 CLP 2,694

-50.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$3.13 CLP 2,947

-48.24%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$4.57 CLP 4,304

-50.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$8.41 CLP 7,916

135.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$11.17 CLP 10.5K

-68.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$14.94 CLP 14.1K

-23.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.9

$2.72 CLP 2,564

6.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.75 CLP 1,648

-1.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.2

$2.72 CLP 2,561

-16.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.5

$2.30 CLP 2,166

-7.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.77

$1.63 CLP 1,538

-9.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.96

$1.67 CLP 1,573

-14.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.29

$1.45 CLP 1,362

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.78

$1.16 CLP 1,088

-48.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$5.89 CLP 5,541

-26.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$4.39 CLP 4,127

323.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.6

$1.04 CLP 977

73.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.3

$0.56 CLP 527

301.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿103

$2.16 CLP 2,034

43.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.59

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.20

$1.37 CLP 1,294

4.38%

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

$27.8K ฿918.9K

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

$27.0K ฿892.4K

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

$105 ฿3,466

$129 CLP 121.6K

-18.88%

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

$11.39 ฿377

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$21.17 CLP 19.9K

-17.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,797

$85.4 CLP 80.4K

-36.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$10.62 CLP 9,993

7.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$4.47 CLP 4,206

74.05%

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

$576 ฿19.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿383.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,104

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿962

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,182

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,977

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$294 CLP 276.4K

149.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.6K

$235 CLP 221.0K

113.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.3K

$470 CLP 441.9K

352.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$360 CLP 338.4K

248.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Los Ángeles: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $733 in Phuket versus $294 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $26.00 in Los Ángeles. Groceries tell a different story – $275 in Phuket vs $286 in Los Ángeles – so Phuket 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 32% more than Los Ángeles, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,436 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,265 in Phuket and $958 in Los Ángeles. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Phuket – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Los Ángeles, where all-in costs run around $958, 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 $958 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.