Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Phoenix

For one person, living is cheaper in Phoenix: $842 a month against $1,278 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $5,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Phoenix

🇲🇺 Mauritius

$842

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Phoenix

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $842 in Phoenix.

Phuket $1,278
Phoenix $842

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $1,313 in Phoenix.

Phuket $2,216
Phoenix $1,313

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $1,784 in Phoenix.

Phuket $3,154
Phoenix $1,784

Living in Phuket is roughly 52% more expensive than in Phoenix, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Phoenix 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$2.16 MUR 102

106.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$31.24 MUR 1,472

3.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$7.49 MUR 353

17.62%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$5.40 MUR 255

-47.59%

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

$0.65 MUR 30.75

33.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.66

$0.55 MUR 25.73

-10.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$2.11 MUR 99.4

21.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$5.36 MUR 253

-31.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.50 MUR 70.9

10.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.32

$0.40 MUR 18.92

265.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.17 MUR 102

-30.88%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$5.01 MUR 236

-58.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$8.34 MUR 393

-60.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$6.30 MUR 297

73.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$7.41 MUR 349

-60.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$3.79 MUR 178

-55.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$4.63 MUR 218

-51.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$1.53 MUR 72.2

35.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$0.89 MUR 41.91

69.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$0.81 MUR 38.31

70.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.97

$0.70 MUR 33.14

52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$0.76 MUR 35.72

-31.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$10.54 MUR 497

78.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$2.06 MUR 97.2

-11.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

$1.03 MUR 48.74

40.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

$10.76 MUR 507

426.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.34

$1.46 MUR 68.6

-30.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.78

$1.29 MUR 60.8

13.95%

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

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

$26.7K ฿900.8K

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

$96.4 ฿3,252

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

$11.26 ฿380

$14.45 MUR 681

-22.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$25.12 MUR 1,184

-32.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,269

$25.60 MUR 1,206

162.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$5.39 MUR 254

39.15%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,105

$53.6 MUR 2,526

16.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$53.5 MUR 2,519

-46.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,182

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,896

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$531 MUR 25.0K

34.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$323 MUR 15.2K

52.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$855 MUR 40.3K

125.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$525 MUR 24.7K

172.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$939 MUR 44.2K

-46.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phoenix: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Phoenix

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Phoenix

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Phoenix

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Phoenix

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Phoenix

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Phoenix

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Phoenix

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $531 in Phoenix. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phoenix pays 87% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $31 in Phoenix for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $242 per month, with Phoenix cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇲🇺 Phoenix

🕒 Local time

10:19 10:19 AM

07:19 7:19 AM

3 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

115,289

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Mauritian Rupee MUR ₨

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

100 MUR = 2.12 USD

100 MUR = 1.9 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MUR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.68 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

Mauritian Rupee exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 47.12 MUR (100 MUR = 2.12 USD). 1 EUR = 52.61 MUR (100 MUR = 1.9 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Phoenix 5,460 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Phoenix

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 Phoenix: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,278 in Phuket and $842 in Phoenix, so Phoenix is about 34% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 46% 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 $531 in Phoenix. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $1,278 per month in Phuket versus $842 in Phoenix – Phoenix is about 34% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $842 in Phoenix versus $1,278 in Phuket, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Phoenix but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Phoenix 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 Phoenix are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Phoenix gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.