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

🙂 Solo nomad: Phuket is 40.4% cheaper than Monterey, CA without rent, and 61.1% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Phuket is 29.8% cheaper than Monterey, CA without rent, and 49.3% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.71 ฿151

$16.22 $16.22

-70.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.87 ฿1,468

$65.9 $65.9

-30.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿283

$9.21 $9.21

-4.02%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿98

$4.39 $4.39

-30.30%

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

$0.69 ฿22.16

$3.08 $3.08

-77.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.56

$1.62 $1.62

-75.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿79.6

$5.94 $5.94

-58.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿119

$4.42 $4.42

-15.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿69.8

$1.31 $1.31

66.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.8 ฿57.5

$3.39 $3.39

-46.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿71.4

$4.39 $4.39

-49.20%

Eggs

$2.23 ฿71.4

$3.87 $3.87

-42.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.66 ฿629

$9.38 $9.38

109.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$17.96 $17.96

-79.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿433

$14 $14

-3.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿104

$3.87 $3.87

-16.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿51.9

$1.2 $1.2

35.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.4 ฿76.8

$2.53 $2.53

-5.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿66.5

$2.18 $2.18

-4.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿50.7

$2.03 $2.03

-21.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿47.76

$2.23 $2.23

-33.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.46

$1.82 $1.82

-44.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.46

$1.84 $1.84

-73.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿143

$11.99 $11.99

-62.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.34 ฿651

$17.09 $17.09

19.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿59.5

$2.29 $2.29

-18.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.7 ฿86.3

$2.55 $2.55

5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿45.79

$1.97 $1.97

-27.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.47 ฿367

$54 $54

-78.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.4

$1.56 $1.56

94.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.18

$0.87 $0.87

19.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.64 ฿437

$29.53 $29.53

-53.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿43.31

$1.27 $1.27

6.30%

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

$27.2K ฿870.3K

$23.7K $23.7K

14.97%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$24K $24K

39.59%

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

$122 ฿3,905

$182 $182

-33.07%

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

$13.61 ฿435

$50.9 $50.9

-73.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.36 ฿588

$60.1 $60.1

-69.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.9 ฿1,915

$42.54 $42.54

40.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿539

$10.62 $10.62

58.57%

Cinema Ticket

$8.92 ฿285

$12.48 $12.48

-28.53%

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

$684 ฿21.9K

$565 $565

20.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿514.8K

$12.6K $12.6K

27.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ฿1,862

$67.1 $67.1

-13.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.38 ฿1,100

$118 $118

-70.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,631

$98.4 $98.4

15.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,716

$200 $200

-57.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿19.9K

$2,319 $2,319

-73.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 ฿14.1K

$2,018 $2,018

-78.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 ฿66K

$3,594 $3,594

-42.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 ฿47K

$3,769 $3,769

-61.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,286 ฿137.1K

$7,840 $7,840

-45.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,957 ฿94.6K

$5,912 $5,912

-49.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.1K

$5,352 $5,352

-90.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.4

-16.72%

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

Last update for Phuket: December 1, 2025

Last update for Monterey, CA: November 30, 2025

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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