Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Merced, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Merced, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,467 in Merced, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $3,652 in Merced, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $4,836 in Merced, CA.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 49% less than in Merced, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Merced, CA is 85% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$20.30 $20.30

-77.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,550

$40.25 $40.25

14.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$11.63 $11.63

-23.99%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$5.95 $5.95

-48.57%

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

$0.73 ฿24.36

$3.05 $3.05

-76.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.37

$2.03 $2.03

-80.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.6

$8.80 $8.80

-72.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$10.14 $10.14

-62.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿75.8

$1.17 $1.17

93.16%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.8

$2.83 $2.83

-36.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$3.22 $3.22

-30.12%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.4

$4.96 $4.96

-54.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿655

$11.10 $11.10

75.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿122

$15.17 $15.17

-75.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿438

$17.78 $17.78

-26.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$5.96 $5.96

-45.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.3

$2.47 $2.47

-34.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.0

$1.48 $1.48

60.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.0

$4.47 $4.47

-54.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$2.11 $2.11

-27.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$3.36 $3.36

-55.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.85

$0.98 $0.98

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.36

$2.90 $2.90

-82.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$10.20 $10.20

-56.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿615

$15.46 $15.46

18.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.6

$2.28 $2.28

-18.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.0

$3.41 $3.41

-21.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.37

$1.52 $1.52

-7.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

$60.2 $60.2

-80.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿104

$3.08 $3.08

0.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.00

$1.71 $1.71

-39.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$26.86 $26.86

-47.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.02

$1.23 $1.23

6.50%

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

$27.8K ฿933.8K

$29.4K $29.4K

-5.40%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$27.0K $27.0K

23.02%

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

$122 ฿4,110

$274 $274

-55.38%

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

$13.59 ฿456

$34.81 $34.81

-60.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿628

$66.9 $66.9

-72.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,031

$33.45 $33.45

80.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿570

$13.79 $13.79

23.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$15.68 $15.68

-42.16%

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

$706 ฿23.7K

$1,979 $1,979

-64.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿530.5K

$25.9K $25.9K

-38.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,965

$53.1 $53.1

10.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,187

$44.10 $44.10

-19.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,876

$89.1 $89.1

29.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,811

$139 $139

-39.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$1,652 $1,652

-62.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿14.9K

$1,067 $1,067

-58.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.5K

$2,011 $2,011

1.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.1K

$1,878 $1,878

-20.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿116.9K

$2,861 $2,861

21.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.5K

$2,942 $2,942

-12.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$3,302 $3,302

-84.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.36

-16.19%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Merced, CA: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $1,652 in Merced, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Merced, CA pays 561% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in Merced, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $409, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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 Merced, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Merced, CA differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($1,250 vs $2,467 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 561% lower in Merced, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $1,652 in Merced, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $1,979 in Merced, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Merced, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,467 in Merced, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Merced, CA. 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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Merced, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Merced, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.