Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Rio Rancho, NM

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,630 in Rio Rancho, NM, rent and utilities included – about $17,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Rio Rancho, NM
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Rio Rancho, NM Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Rio Rancho, NM

🇺🇸 United States

$2,630

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Rio Rancho, NM

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 Rio Rancho, NM actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,630 in Rio Rancho, NM.

Phuket $1,208
Rio Rancho, NM $2,630

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $3,841 in Rio Rancho, NM.

Phuket $2,027
Rio Rancho, NM $3,841

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $5,053 in Rio Rancho, NM.

Phuket $2,845
Rio Rancho, NM $5,053

Living in Phuket costs roughly 54% less than in Rio Rancho, NM, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Rio Rancho, NM is 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$17.15 $17.15

-74.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

$78.2 $78.2

-58.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$12.09 $12.09

-27.54%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

$5.64 $5.64

-49.82%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

$2.94 $2.94

-69.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$2.32 $2.32

-79.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

$5.98 $5.98

-57.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$6.92 $6.92

-44.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.07 $1.07

61.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

$3.18 $3.18

-53.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$4.41 $4.41

-65.76%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$4.26 $4.26

-49.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

$12.01 $12.01

64.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

$19.57 $19.57

-82.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

$18.39 $18.39

-39.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$5.44 $5.44

-47.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

$1.62 $1.62

4.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

$3.99 $3.99

-45.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$4.13 $4.13

-50.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$1.13 $1.13

28.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

$3.39 $3.39

-59.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

$1.97 $1.97

-45.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

$2.55 $2.55

-80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$10.83 $10.83

-60.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

$16.08 $16.08

15.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

$2.05 $2.05

-13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

$3.67 $3.67

-22.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

$2.03 $2.03

11.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

$50.3 $50.3

-56.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

$3.06 $3.06

-1.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

$0.78 $0.78

35.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

$32.31 $32.31

-88.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

$1.01 $1.01

43.56%

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

$29.6K $29.6K

-11.06%

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

$25.4K $25.4K

6.12%

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

$164 $164

-41.38%

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

$11.04 ฿369

$45.41 $45.41

-75.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

$71.4 $71.4

-76.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

$42.19 $42.19

23.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

$17.49 $17.49

-55.35%

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

$556 ฿18.6K

$1,343 $1,343

-58.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

$11.1K $11.1K

3.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

$55.2 $55.2

16.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

$57.5 $57.5

-50.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

$79.8 $79.8

19.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

$117 $117

-24.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

$1,608 $1,608

-54.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

$1,323 $1,323

-65.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

$2,528 $2,528

-17.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

$2,118 $2,118

-43.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

$3,082 $3,082

13.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

$2,664 $2,664

-5.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

$5,915 $5,915

-91.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.57

-15.22%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Rio Rancho, NM: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Rio Rancho, NM

$1.3K 50.3% 186% $860

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Rio Rancho, NM

$438 16.7% 63.1% $170

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Rio Rancho, NM

$281 10.7% 126% $157

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Rio Rancho, NM

$139 5.3% 11.9% $15

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Rio Rancho, NM

$306 11.6% 152% $185

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Rio Rancho, NM

$77 2.9% 13.8% $9.4

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Rio Rancho, NM

$65 2.5% 65.8% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $1,608 in Rio Rancho, NM. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio Rancho, NM pays 1081% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $78.0 in Rio Rancho, NM for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $438 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Rio Rancho, NM

🕒 Local time

12:22 12:22 PM

23:22 11:22 PM

13 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

110,660

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 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 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Phuket Rio Rancho, NM 14,550 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Rio Rancho, NM

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 Rio Rancho, NM: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 118% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1081% lower in Rio Rancho, NM. 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: $737 in Phuket versus $1,608 in Rio Rancho, NM. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $556 in Phuket versus $1,343 in Rio Rancho, NM. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Rio Rancho, NM. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,630 in Rio Rancho, NM, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rio Rancho, NM. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rio Rancho, NM, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Rio Rancho, NM are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Rio Rancho, NM. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.