Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Port Arthur, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,634 in Port Arthur, TX, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 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
127

Cost of Living Index in Port Arthur, TX
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Port Arthur, TX Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Port Arthur, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,634

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Port Arthur, TX

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 Port Arthur, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,634 in Port Arthur, TX.

Phuket $1,278
Port Arthur, TX $2,634

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $3,860 in Port Arthur, TX.

Phuket $2,216
Port Arthur, TX $3,860

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $5,086 in Port Arthur, TX.

Phuket $3,154
Port Arthur, TX $5,086

Living in Phuket costs roughly 51% less than in Port Arthur, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Port Arthur, TX is 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$18.63 $18.63

-76.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$74.1 $74.1

-56.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$11.20 $11.20

-21.34%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.5

$4.96 $4.96

-42.94%

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

$0.87 ฿29.43

$2.55 $2.55

-65.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.67

$1.94 $1.94

-74.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.4

$6.15 $6.15

-58.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$6.94 $6.94

-46.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.04 $1.04

59.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.35

$3.43 $3.43

-57.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.6

$4.32 $4.32

-65.28%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$4.03 $4.03

-48.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿644

$12.42 $12.42

53.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$11.57 $11.57

-71.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$15.59 $15.59

-30.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿99.0

$4.86 $4.86

-39.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$1.61 $1.61

4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$4.26 $4.26

-47.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$4.69 $4.69

-55.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$2.90 $2.90

-47.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.56

$2.90 $2.90

-52.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.99

$2.11 $2.11

-49.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.52

$2.18 $2.18

-76.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$9.43 $9.43

-55.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$13.75 $13.75

36.65%

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

$3.29 $3.29

-13.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

$2.02 $2.02

-28.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

$66.3 $66.3

-14.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$3.52 $3.52

-14.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.36

$1.60 $1.60

-36.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$29.41 $29.41

-87.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.81

$0.85 $0.85

72.94%

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

$26.8K ฿904.3K

$30.1K $30.1K

-10.91%

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

$26.7K ฿901.3K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.70%

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

$96.4 ฿3,254

$190 $190

-49.42%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$53.1 $53.1

-78.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$66.2 $66.2

-74.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,270

$43.60 $43.60

54.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$13.73 $13.73

-45.38%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$1,279 $1,279

-62.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

$23.4K $23.4K

-51.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,106

$50.2 $50.2

24.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$39.34 $39.34

-27.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,184

$86.8 $86.8

8.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,898

$113 $113

-24.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$1,625 $1,625

-55.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$1,346 $1,346

-63.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.1K

$2,594 $2,594

-25.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$2,244 $2,244

-36.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿141.0K

$2,790 $2,790

49.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$2,405 $2,405

26.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.51

-14.44%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Port Arthur, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Port Arthur, TX

$1.3K 51.1% 174% $855

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Port Arthur, TX

$387 14.7% 45.2% $120

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Port Arthur, TX

$310 11.8% 149% $185

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Port Arthur, TX

$130 5% 6.9% $8.4

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Port Arthur, TX

$305 11.6% 150% $183

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Port Arthur, TX

$71 2.7% 13.6% $11

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Port Arthur, TX

$86 3.3% 21.7% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $1,625 in Port Arthur, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $74 in Port Arthur, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $387 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Port Arthur, TX

🕒 Local time

02:59 2:59 AM

14:59 2:59 PM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

54,135

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 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 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Port Arthur, TX 15,610 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Port Arthur, TX

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 Port Arthur, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is about 51% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,917 in Phuket and $3,951 in Port Arthur, TX 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $1,625 in Port Arthur, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $1,279 in Port Arthur, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Port Arthur, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,634 in Port Arthur, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Port Arthur, TX. 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Port Arthur, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.