Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Montgomery, AL

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,157 in Montgomery, AL, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 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
104

Cost of Living Index in Montgomery, AL
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Montgomery, AL Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Montgomery, AL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,157

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Montgomery, AL

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 Montgomery, AL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,157 in Montgomery, AL.

Phuket $1,278
Montgomery, AL $2,157

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $2,969 in Montgomery, AL.

Phuket $2,216
Montgomery, AL $2,969

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $3,781 in Montgomery, AL.

Phuket $3,154
Montgomery, AL $3,781

Living in Phuket costs roughly 41% less than in Montgomery, AL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Montgomery, AL is 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$15.77 $15.77

-71.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,092

$55.5 $55.5

-41.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$10.39 $10.39

-15.21%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.3

$5.57 $5.57

-49.19%

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

$0.87 ฿29.37

$2.65 $2.65

-67.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.64

$2.10 $2.10

-76.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.2

$4.40 $4.40

-41.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$4.79 $4.79

-23.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.9

$0.89 $0.89

86.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.25

$3.56 $3.56

-58.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.4

$2.08 $2.08

-27.88%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.4

$3.14 $3.14

-33.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿642

$8.20 $8.20

132.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$7.57 $7.57

-56.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$14.55 $14.55

-25.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.7

$4.11 $4.11

-28.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.9

$1.30 $1.30

30.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.7

$2.01 $2.01

11.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.0

$4.00 $4.00

-48.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.9

$3.17 $3.17

-52.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.47

$2.80 $2.80

-50.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.91

$2.07 $2.07

-48.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.49

$2.21 $2.21

-76.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$8.51 $8.51

-50.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿633

$14.99 $14.99

25.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.4

$1.95 $1.95

-6.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.7

$3.92 $3.92

-27.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.93

$2.05 $2.05

-29.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,909

$45.11 $45.11

25.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$2.43 $2.43

24.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.29

$1.64 $1.64

-37.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿124

$26.31 $26.31

-85.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.70

$0.87 $0.87

68.97%

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

$26.8K ฿902.4K

$28.2K $28.2K

-5.03%

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

$26.7K ฿899.5K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.65%

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

$96.4 ฿3,247

$300 $300

-67.86%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$51.6 $51.6

-78.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿568

$71.3 $71.3

-76.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,266

$33.13 $33.13

102.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿361

$28.24 $28.24

-62.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$10.09 $10.09

-25.67%

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

$476 ฿16.0K

$1,385 $1,385

-65.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.6K

$13.9K $13.9K

-18.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,102

$47.94 $47.94

30.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿957

$35.15 $35.15

-19.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,178

$85.4 $85.4

10.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,892

$94.8 $94.8

-9.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.1K

$1,409 $1,409

-49.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.5K

$898 $898

-45.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿64.9K

$1,926 $1,926

0.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.2K

$1,210 $1,210

18.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.7K

$1,405 $1,405

197.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.6K

$1,227 $1,227

148.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.9K

$3,599 $3,599

-86.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.54

-14.83%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Montgomery, AL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Montgomery, AL

$898 41.7% 83% $408

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Montgomery, AL

$325 15.1% 22.2% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Montgomery, AL

$423 19.6% 240% $298

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Montgomery, AL

$118 5.5% 2.8% $3.4

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Montgomery, AL

$275 12.7% 126% $153

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Montgomery, AL

$53 2.5% 35.2% $29

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Montgomery, AL

$64 3% 9.4% $6.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $1,409 in Montgomery, AL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Montgomery, AL pays about 7.2 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $56 in Montgomery, AL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $325 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Montgomery, AL

🕒 Local time

14:11 2:11 PM

02:11 2:11 AM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

200,603

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.97 USD

100 THB = 2.67 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 33.7 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Montgomery, AL 15,510 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Montgomery, AL

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 Montgomery, AL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $2,157 in Montgomery, AL, so Phuket is about 41% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 86% lower in Phuket. 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: $716 in Phuket versus $1,409 in Montgomery, AL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $56 in Montgomery, AL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $2,157 in Montgomery, AL – Phuket is about 41% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,157 in Montgomery, AL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Montgomery, AL. 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.

It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Montgomery, AL on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.