Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Palm Bay, FL

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,340 in Palm Bay, FL, rent and utilities included – about $12,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Palm Bay, FL, United States
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Palm Bay, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,340
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Palm Bay, FL

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 Palm Bay, FL actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,278 per month in Phuket vs $2,340 in Palm Bay, FL, rent included.

  • Phuket $1,278
  • Palm Bay, FL $2,340

A couple spends around $2,216 per month in Phuket vs $3,527 in Palm Bay, FL, rent included.

  • Phuket $2,216
  • Palm Bay, FL $3,527

A family of three spends $3,154 per month in Phuket vs $4,715 in Palm Bay, FL, rent included.

  • Phuket $3,154
  • Palm Bay, FL $4,715

Phuket is about 45% cheaper than Palm Bay, FL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Palm Bay, FL is 72% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Palm Bay, FL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.47 ฿151
$25.82 $25.82
-82.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.41 ฿1,094
$75.9 $75.9
-57.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.81 ฿297
$10.15 $10.15
-13.20%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿95.5
$5.41 $5.41
-47.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.43
$3.01 $3.01
-71.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ฿16.67
$2.00 $2.00
-75.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.56 ฿86.4
$5.26 $5.26
-51.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.68 ฿124
$7.53 $7.53
-51.13%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Palm Bay, FL
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.66 ฿56.0
$0.93 $0.93
78.49%
White Bread (500g)
$1.46 ฿49.35
$3.75 $3.75
-61.07%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.6
$3.10 $3.10
-51.61%
Eggs
$2.09 ฿70.5
$3.54 $3.54
-40.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.07 ฿644
$13.09 $13.09
45.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.30 ฿111
$11.25 $11.25
-70.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.91 ฿368
$14.59 $14.59
-25.22%
Apples (1kg)
$2.93 ฿99.0
$3.87 $3.87
-24.29%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿57.1
$1.53 $1.53
10.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.25 ฿75.8
$4.49 $4.49
-49.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.08 ฿70.1
$5.61 $5.61
-62.92%
Potato (1kg)
$1.51 ฿51.0
$2.86 $2.86
-47.20%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.56
$3.36 $3.36
-58.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.99
$2.21 $2.21
-51.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 ฿17.52
$2.59 $2.59
-79.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ฿142
$9.42 $9.42
-55.41%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.79 ฿634
$13.16 $13.16
42.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 ฿61.5
$1.77 $1.77
2.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.84 ฿95.9
$3.33 $3.33
-14.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Palm Bay, FL
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿49.03
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$56.7 ฿1,913
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿102
$10.05 $10.05
-69.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.02 ฿34.36
$1.91 $1.91
-46.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.69 ฿125
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.47 ฿49.81
$1.04 $1.04
41.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K ฿904.3K
$28.3K $28.3K
-5.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.7K ฿901.3K
$26.5K $26.5K
0.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Palm Bay, FL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,254
$171 $171
-43.75%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.26 ฿380
$58.1 $58.1
-80.61%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.85 ฿569
$75.3 $75.3
-77.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Palm Bay, FL
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.2 ฿2,270
$34.04 $34.04
97.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.73 ฿362
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.50 ฿253
$9.95 $9.95
-24.62%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Palm Bay, FL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$476 ฿16.1K
$1,016 $1,016
-53.17%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿380.4K
$6,962 $6,962
61.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Palm Bay, FL
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 ฿2,106
$67.8 $67.8
-8.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.41 ฿959
$27.56 $27.56
3.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$94.3 ฿3,184
$107 $107
-11.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$85.8 ฿2,898
$101 $101
-15.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Palm Bay, FL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$716 ฿24.2K
$1,411 $1,411
-49.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$491 ฿16.6K
$1,077 $1,077
-54.43%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,927 ฿65.1K
$1,935 $1,935
-0.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,431 ฿48.3K
$1,895 $1,895
-24.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,175 ฿141.0K
$2,463 $2,463
69.52%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,045 ฿102.8K
$2,528 $2,528
20.44%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Palm Bay, FL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$502 ฿17.0K
$3,602 $3,602
-86.05%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.56
-15.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Palm Bay, FL: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$491
Palm Bay, FL
$1.1K 119% $586
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$266
Palm Bay, FL
$384 44.3% $118
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$124
Palm Bay, FL
$305 145% $180
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$122
Palm Bay, FL
$137 12.1% $15
Eating Out
Phuket
$122
Palm Bay, FL
$363 199% $242
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$82
Palm Bay, FL
$54 34.4% $28
Getting Around
Phuket
$71
Palm Bay, FL
$20 * 72.3% $51

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $716 in Phuket versus $1,411 in Palm Bay, FL. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Palm Bay, FL are about 7.2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32 in Phuket versus $76 in Palm Bay, FL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $266 vs $384 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇺🇸 Palm Bay, FL
🕒 Local time
20:19 8:19 PM
09:19 9:19 AM
11 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
119,760
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.899 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Palm Bay, FL 16,020 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Palm Bay, FL

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 Palm Bay, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Palm Bay, FL?
Palm Bay, FL costs about 83% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Palm Bay, FL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,917 per month in Phuket and $3,509 in Palm Bay, FL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phuket or Palm Bay, FL?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,411 in Palm Bay, FL.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Palm Bay, FL?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $2,340 in Palm Bay, FL. That’s a gap of about 83%.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and in Palm Bay, FL?
Kindergarten costs $476 per month in Phuket and $1,016 in Palm Bay, FL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Palm Bay, FL?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Palm Bay, FL at $2,340. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Palm Bay, FL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Phuket or to Palm Bay, FL?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Palm Bay, FL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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