๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,739 in Marathon, FL.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,967 in Marathon, FL.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $5,195 in Marathon, FL.
๐Living in Phuket costs roughly 55% less than in Marathon, FL, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Marathon, FL is 105% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Marathon, FL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63เธฟ150
$20.21$20.21
-77.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84เธฟ1,515
$74.5$74.5
-37.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84เธฟ286
$10.16$10.16
-12.99%
Cappuccino
$3.00เธฟ96.9
$6.09$6.09
-50.74%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74เธฟ23.98
$2.86$2.86
-74.13%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37เธฟ11.82
$1.91$1.91
-80.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44เธฟ78.9
$6.18$6.18
-60.52%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61เธฟ117
$9.64$9.64
-62.55%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Marathon, FL
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26เธฟ73.1
$1.07$1.07
111.21%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84เธฟ59.5
$2.91$2.91
-36.77%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24เธฟ72.6
$5.24$5.24
-57.25%
Eggs
$2.32เธฟ74.9
$4.56$4.56
-49.12%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67เธฟ636
$21.08$21.08
-6.69%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65เธฟ118
$14.05$14.05
-74.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10เธฟ424
$15.72$15.72
-16.67%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39เธฟ110
$4.75$4.75
-28.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64เธฟ53.1
$1.74$1.74
-5.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41เธฟ78.1
$5.74$5.74
-58.01%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03เธฟ65.6
$5.58$5.58
-63.62%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56เธฟ50.3
$3.70$3.70
-57.84%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50เธฟ48.40
$3.83$3.83
-60.84%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02เธฟ33.13
$2.06$2.06
-50.49%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49เธฟ15.82
$2.03$2.03
-75.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45เธฟ144
$8.61$8.61
-48.32%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88เธฟ610
$13.05$13.05
44.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78เธฟ57.4
$1.76$1.76
1.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75เธฟ89.1
$1.96$1.96
40.31%
๐ Getting Around
Phuket
Marathon, FL
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40เธฟ45.31
$1.94$1.94
-27.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48เธฟ371
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12เธฟ101
$2.46$2.46
26.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00เธฟ32.31
$1.59$1.59
-37.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09เธฟ456
$29.13$29.13
-51.63%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35เธฟ43.70
$0.84$0.84
60.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kเธฟ879.1K
$36.3K$36.3K
-25.07%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kเธฟ1.1M
$27.7K$27.7K
19.02%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Marathon, FL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125เธฟ4,042
$255$255
-50.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57เธฟ439
$46.90$46.90
-71.07%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52เธฟ599
$60.4$60.4
-69.32%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Marathon, FL
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5เธฟ1,988
$43.03$43.03
42.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84เธฟ545
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19เธฟ297
$14.74$14.74
-37.65%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Marathon, FL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698เธฟ22.6K
$1,103$1,103
-36.73%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kเธฟ504.3K
$23.3K$23.3K
-33.05%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Marathon, FL
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8เธฟ1,868
$53.4$53.4
8.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24เธฟ1,140
$33.59$33.59
4.91%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113เธฟ3,658
$92.4$92.4
22.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4เธฟ2,793
$118$118
-26.87%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Marathon, FL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616เธฟ19.9K
$1,574$1,574
-60.87%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446เธฟ14.4K
$1,345$1,345
-66.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048เธฟ66.2K
$2,600$2,600
-21.24%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492เธฟ48.3K
$2,202$2,202
-32.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779เธฟ122.2K
$2,641$2,641
43.07%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649เธฟ85.7K
$2,102$2,102
26.02%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Marathon, FL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524เธฟ16.9K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.53
-18.38%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Marathon, FL: April 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $1,574 in Marathon, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $47 in Phuket vs $74 in Marathon, FL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $435 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 Marathon, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Phuket and Marathon, FL?
Phuket and Marathon, FL differ by about 122% in total monthly costs ($1,232 vs $2,739 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable โ a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Phuket compared to Marathon, FL?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $4,109 in Marathon, FL 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Phuket and Marathon, FL?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $1,574 in Marathon, FL. 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 49% higher in Marathon, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Phuket or Marathon, FL?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $2,739 in Marathon, FL โ a 122% 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 $2,739 in Marathon, FL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Marathon, FL. 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 Marathon, FL?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better โ the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Phuket or Marathon, FL safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Marathon, FL 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 Marathon, FL?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 122% less than in Marathon, FL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.