Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Madison Heights, MI

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $2,513 in Madison Heights, MI, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 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
125

Cost of Living Index in Madison Heights, MI
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Madison Heights, MI Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Madison Heights, MI

🇺🇸 United States

$2,513

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Madison Heights, MI

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 Madison Heights, MI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $2,513 in Madison Heights, MI.

Phuket $1,294
Madison Heights, MI $2,513

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $3,638 in Madison Heights, MI.

Phuket $2,204
Madison Heights, MI $3,638

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $4,764 in Madison Heights, MI.

Phuket $3,115
Madison Heights, MI $4,764

Living in Phuket costs roughly 49% less than in Madison Heights, MI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 4% below, Madison Heights, MI is 86% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿147

$18.05 $18.05

-75.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,080

$63.3 $63.3

-48.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿291

$10.82 $10.82

-19.59%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.1

$5.52 $5.52

-50.72%

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

$0.93 ฿31.11

$2.59 $2.59

-64.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.70

$2.00 $2.00

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.6

$6.05 $6.05

-58.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿121

$8.18 $8.18

-55.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.2

$0.85 $0.85

104.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.51

$3.35 $3.35

-56.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.2

$4.35 $4.35

-65.52%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.6

$3.82 $3.82

-43.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿638

$13.31 $13.31

43.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$11.51 $11.51

-70.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿364

$16.45 $16.45

-33.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿98.3

$5.12 $5.12

-42.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$1.53 $1.53

10.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.4

$4.06 $4.06

-46.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.0

$3.91 $3.91

-45.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.77

$2.45 $2.45

-40.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿45.74

$2.98 $2.98

-54.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿35.98

$2.25 $2.25

-52.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$2.16 $2.16

-74.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿148

$9.97 $9.97

-55.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿610

$14.82 $14.82

23.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.3

$2.44 $2.44

-27.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿96.3

$3.43 $3.43

-16.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.40

$1.76 $1.76

-17.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,835

$60.9 $60.9

-9.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.67 $2.67

-43.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿25.94

$1.44 $1.44

-45.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿128

$24.45 $24.45

-84.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.74

$1.07 $1.07

39.25%

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

$26.9K ฿898.9K

$34.3K $34.3K

-21.68%

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

$26.3K ฿881.0K

$26.2K $26.2K

0.39%

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

$97.8 ฿3,271

$215 $215

-54.46%

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

$11.29 ฿378

$60.5 $60.5

-81.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿575

$69.7 $69.7

-75.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,285

$43.48 $43.48

57.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿365

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿248

$11.87 $11.87

-37.41%

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

$530 ฿17.7K

$1,034 $1,034

-48.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿628.1K

$20.4K $20.4K

-8.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,062

$59.8 $59.8

3.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿945

$39.19 $39.19

-27.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,210

$95.9 $95.9

0.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,903

$116 $116

-25.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.1K

$1,348 $1,348

-46.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.0K

$1,186 $1,186

-57.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.2K

$2,184 $2,184

-10.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿46.7K

$1,930 $1,930

-27.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿140.2K

$2,802 $2,802

49.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿110.3K

$2,166 $2,166

52.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.49

-14.18%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Madison Heights, MI: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Madison Heights, MI

$1.2K 47.2% 133% $677

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Madison Heights, MI

$389 15.5% 45.8% $122

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Madison Heights, MI

$345 13.7% 173% $219

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Madison Heights, MI

$140 5.6% 13.9% $17

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Madison Heights, MI

$308 12.3% 158% $188

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Madison Heights, MI

$67 2.7% 19.2% $16

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Madison Heights, MI

$78 3.1% 17.8% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $1,348 in Madison Heights, MI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $63 in Madison Heights, MI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $389 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Madison Heights, MI

🕒 Local time

14:50 2:50 PM

02:50 2:50 AM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

30,042

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Madison Heights, MI 14,410 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Madison Heights, MI

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 Madison Heights, MI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Madison Heights, MI. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You’d need roughly $1,940 in Phuket and $3,769 in Madison Heights, MI to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $1,348 in Madison Heights, MI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 10% less than in Madison Heights, MI. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $1,034 in Madison Heights, MI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,294 in Phuket versus $2,513 in Madison Heights, MI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Madison Heights, MI. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Madison Heights, MI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.