🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,517 in Mountain Home, ID.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $3,734 in Mountain Home, ID.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $4,950 in Mountain Home, ID.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 51% less than in Mountain Home, ID, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Mountain Home, ID is 84% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Mountain Home, ID
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.41฿147
$22.43$22.43
-80.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26฿1,077
$85.5$85.5
-62.28%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.93฿298
$11.81$11.81
-24.39%
Cappuccino
$2.90฿96.6
$5.90$5.90
-50.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.88฿29.38
$2.89$2.89
-69.55%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.06
$2.13$2.13
-77.46%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.35฿78.5
$5.53$5.53
-57.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿124
$7.63$7.63
-51.25%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Mountain Home, ID
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.87฿62.3
$0.99$0.99
88.89%
White Bread(500g)
$1.47฿48.94
$3.54$3.54
-58.47%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.55฿51.8
$4.45$4.45
-65.17%
Eggs
$2.10฿70.1
$4.10$4.10
-48.78%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.59฿654
$12.69$12.69
54.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.42฿114
$11.72$11.72
-70.82%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.38฿380
$16.92$16.92
-32.74%
Apples(1kg)
$2.98฿99.6
$5.10$5.10
-41.57%
Banana(1kg)
$1.68฿56.2
$1.59$1.59
5.66%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.21฿73.7
$4.29$4.29
-48.48%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.16฿72.1
$4.58$4.58
-52.84%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿50.9
$2.84$2.84
-46.48%
Onion(1kg)
$1.34฿44.67
$2.89$2.89
-53.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.13฿37.67
$2.20$2.20
-48.64%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55฿18.24
$2.33$2.33
-76.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26฿142
$10.13$10.13
-57.95%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.09฿637
$14.81$14.81
28.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿59.4
$1.92$1.92
-7.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78฿92.9
$3.38$3.38
-17.75%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Mountain Home, ID
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.23฿74.4
$1.97$1.97
13.20%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$22.74฿759
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.03฿101
$3.18$3.18
-4.72%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.02฿34.15
$1.56$1.56
-34.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.89฿130
$28.04$28.04
-86.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.49฿49.77
$1.06$1.06
40.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K฿887.3K
$33.8K$33.8K
-21.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.0K฿902.2K
$25.7K$25.7K
5.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Mountain Home, ID
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$102฿3,420
$200$200
-48.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.33฿378
$56.9$56.9
-80.08%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.40฿581
$70.3$70.3
-75.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Mountain Home, ID
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.1฿1,738
$42.90$42.90
21.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07฿370
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.69฿257
$15.50$15.50
-50.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Mountain Home, ID
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$561฿18.7K
$1,256$1,256
-55.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.5K฿384.1K
$22.4K$22.4K
-48.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Mountain Home, ID
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.0฿2,104
$58.6$58.6
7.61%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.52฿986
$43.19$43.19
-31.65%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.0฿3,272
$98.4$98.4
-0.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.5฿2,954
$111$111
-20.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Mountain Home, ID
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$738฿24.6K
$1,588$1,588
-53.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$482฿16.1K
$1,235$1,235
-60.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,107฿70.3K
$2,542$2,542
-17.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,226฿40.9K
$2,129$2,129
-42.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,617฿120.7K
$2,615$2,615
38.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,603฿86.9K
$2,398$2,398
8.57%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Mountain Home, ID
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
6.12
-8.99%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026
Last update for Mountain Home, ID: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,588 in Mountain Home, ID. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $86.0 in Mountain Home, ID for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $399 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 Mountain Home, ID: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Mountain Home, ID cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $3,776 in Mountain Home, ID 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Mountain Home, ID?
Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $1,588 in Mountain Home, ID. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Mountain Home, ID?
Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Mountain Home, ID. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Phuket and in Mountain Home, ID?
All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $2,517 in Mountain Home, ID – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Mountain Home, ID?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,517 in Mountain Home, ID, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mountain Home, ID. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Mountain Home, ID more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mountain Home, ID, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Mountain Home, ID?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Mountain Home, ID are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Mountain Home, ID. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.