🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,281 in Pullman, WA.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $3,395 in Pullman, WA.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $4,508 in Pullman, WA.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 46% less than in Pullman, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Pullman, WA is 71% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Pullman, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.51฿147
$16.80$16.80
-73.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.62฿1,515
$66.3$66.3
-29.63%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.49฿276
$8.63$8.63
-1.62%
Cappuccino
$3.08฿100
$4.47$4.47
-31.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.07
$2.13$2.13
-68.08%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.75
$1.86$1.86
-80.65%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿78.8
$6.13$6.13
-60.36%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63฿118
$5.52$5.52
-34.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Pullman, WA
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.19฿71.1
$1.03$1.03
112.62%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿59.0
$3.81$3.81
-52.49%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23฿72.5
$3.86$3.86
-42.23%
Eggs
$2.24฿72.7
$5.55$5.55
-59.64%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.60฿637
$21.65$21.65
-9.47%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.72฿121
$14.52$14.52
-74.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.47฿438
$20.02$20.02
-32.72%
Apples(1kg)
$3.36฿109
$3.80$3.80
-11.58%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿52.5
$2.02$2.02
-19.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.3
$3.65$3.65
-33.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.6
$7.17$7.17
-72.25%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.76
$2.48$2.48
-38.31%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45฿47.19
$2.61$2.61
-44.44%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿32.96
$3.27$3.27
-69.11%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.73
$2.94$2.94
-83.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿139
$8.27$8.27
-48.37%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.12฿621
$17.24$17.24
10.90%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84฿59.7
$1.75$1.75
5.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74฿89.1
$8.91$8.91
-69.25%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Pullman, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿46.06
$0.98$0.98
44.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.72฿381
$30.14$30.14
-61.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.00฿97.6
$4.05$4.05
-25.93%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05฿34.00
$1.69$1.69
-37.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.90฿452
$29.59$29.59
-53.02%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29฿41.94
$0.94$0.94
37.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K฿911.1K
$19.7K$19.7K
42.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K฿1.1M
$20.3K$20.3K
65.18%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Pullman, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,964
$105$105
16.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93฿453
$83.3$83.3
-83.28%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87฿613
$59.6$59.6
-68.35%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Pullman, WA
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.3฿1,992
$29.83$29.83
105.43%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿547
$10.11$10.11
66.57%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿289
$14.95$14.95
-40.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Pullman, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$691฿22.5K
$1,218$1,218
-43.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.2K฿525.2K
$23.0K$23.0K
-29.73%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Pullman, WA
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,878
$50.7$50.7
13.89%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39฿1,150
$22.70$22.70
55.90%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,685
$99.6$99.6
13.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0฿2,698
$158$158
-47.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Pullman, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$607฿19.7K
$1,192$1,192
-49.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.6K
$1,003$1,003
-55.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,029฿66.0K
$2,160$2,160
-6.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,493฿48.5K
$1,683$1,683
-11.25%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,585฿116.5K
$2,230$2,230
60.73%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,585฿84.0K
$2,188$2,188
18.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Pullman, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$505฿16.4K
$3,476$3,476
-85.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.3
-15.40%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026
Last update for Pullman, WA: June 15, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $1,192 in Pullman, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Pullman, WA pays 589% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $66.0 in Pullman, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $487 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 Pullman, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pullman, WA cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Pullman, WA?
On paper, Pullman, WA earns 589% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Pullman, WA?
Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $1,192 in Pullman, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $691 in Phuket versus $1,218 in Pullman, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Pullman, WA?
Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Pullman, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Pullman, WA?
At $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,281 in Pullman, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Pullman, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Pullman, WA more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pullman, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Pullman, WA?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Pullman, WA 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 86% less than in Pullman, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.