Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Roy, UT

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,272 in Roy, UT, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Roy, UT
🇺🇸 United States
$2,272
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Roy, UT

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,272 in Roy, UT.

  • Phuket $1,208
  • Roy, UT $2,272

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $3,291 in Roy, UT.

  • Phuket $2,027
  • Roy, UT $3,291

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $4,311 in Roy, UT.

  • Phuket $2,845
  • Roy, UT $4,311

Living in Phuket costs roughly 47% less than in Roy, UT, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Roy, UT is 68% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Roy, UT
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.40 ฿147
$18.07 $18.07
-75.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.26 ฿1,078
$73.8 $73.8
-56.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿293
$9.94 $9.94
-11.87%
Cappuccino
$2.83 ฿94.5
$5.16 $5.16
-45.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90 ฿30.14
$2.20 $2.20
-59.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.47 ฿15.56
$1.67 $1.67
-71.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.55 ฿85.2
$5.84 $5.84
-56.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.83 ฿128
$8.11 $8.11
-52.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Roy, UT
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.73 ฿57.7
$0.62 $0.62
179.03%
White Bread (500g)
$1.47 ฿49.11
$2.66 $2.66
-44.74%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$4.01 $4.01
-62.34%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.7
$3.47 $3.47
-37.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.70 ฿658
$11.82 $11.82
66.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.34 ฿112
$12.02 $12.02
-72.21%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.16 ฿373
$10.81 $10.81
3.24%
Apples (1kg)
$2.85 ฿95.1
$4.17 $4.17
-31.65%
Banana (1kg)
$1.70 ฿56.9
$1.44 $1.44
18.06%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.3
$3.76 $3.76
-41.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.05 ฿68.4
$4.07 $4.07
-49.63%
Potato (1kg)
$1.45 ฿48.57
$2.32 $2.32
-37.50%
Onion (1kg)
$1.38 ฿46.16
$2.43 $2.43
-43.21%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.69
$1.91 $1.91
-43.98%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿16.91
$1.92 $1.92
-73.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.26 ฿142
$10.15 $10.15
-58.03%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.58 ฿621
$15.03 $15.03
23.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78 ฿59.7
$2.64 $2.64
-32.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 ฿95.2
$3.26 $3.26
-12.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Roy, UT
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.26 ฿75.6
$2.05 $2.05
10.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.10 ฿738
$44.14 $44.14
-49.93%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.01 ฿101
$2.57 $2.57
17.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.34
$2.24 $2.24
-52.68%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.86 ฿129
$13.02 $13.02
-70.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 ฿48.45
$1.03 $1.03
40.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿879.9K
$34.3K $34.3K
-23.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K ฿900.4K
$26.3K $26.3K
2.63%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Roy, UT
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.4 ฿3,221
$192 $192
-49.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.04 ฿369
$49.23 $49.23
-77.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.14 ฿573
$80.2 $80.2
-78.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Roy, UT
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.2 ฿1,744
$42.01 $42.01
24.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.16 ฿373
$15.01 $15.01
-25.65%
Cinema Ticket
$7.81 ฿261
$10.85 $10.85
-28.02%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Roy, UT
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$556 ฿18.6K
$1,329 $1,329
-58.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.6K ฿387.0K
$21.0K $21.0K
-44.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Roy, UT
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.2 ฿2,146
$39.54 $39.54
62.37%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.69 ฿959
$24.97 $24.97
14.90%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$95.4 ฿3,187
$89.4 $89.4
6.69%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.0 ฿2,940
$107 $107
-17.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Roy, UT
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$737 ฿24.6K
$1,285 $1,285
-42.64%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$462 ฿15.5K
$1,059 $1,059
-56.34%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,095 ฿70.0K
$1,733 $1,733
20.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,201 ฿40.1K
$1,648 $1,648
-27.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,488 ฿116.6K
$2,753 $2,753
26.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,523 ฿84.3K
$2,391 $2,391
5.50%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Roy, UT
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.7K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.46
-13.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Roy, UT: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$462
Roy, UT
$1.1K 129% $597
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$269
Roy, UT
$348 29.5% $79
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
Roy, UT
$321 158% $197
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$124
Roy, UT
$117 5.7% $7.1
Eating Out
Phuket
$121
Roy, UT
$297 145% $176
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
Roy, UT
$64 6% $4.1
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
Roy, UT
$66 67.6% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $1,285 in Roy, UT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $74.0 in Roy, UT for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $348 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇺🇸 Roy, UT
🕒 Local time
23:05 11:05 PM
10:05 10:05 AM
13 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
39,306
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 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 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Roy, UT 13,740 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Roy, UT

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 Roy, UT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Roy, UT cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 88% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,813 in Phuket and $3,408 in Roy, UT 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Roy, UT?
Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Phuket versus $1,285 in Roy, UT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $556 in Phuket versus $1,329 in Roy, UT. 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 in Roy, UT?
Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Roy, UT. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Roy, UT?
At $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,272 in Roy, UT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Roy, UT. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Roy, UT more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Roy, UT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Roy, UT?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Roy, UT 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 88% less than in Roy, UT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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