🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,642 in The Dalles, OR.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $3,846 in The Dalles, OR.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $5,049 in The Dalles, OR.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 52% less than in The Dalles, OR, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, The Dalles, OR is 97% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
The Dalles, OR
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.56฿149
$27.71$27.71
-83.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.63฿1,524
$70.9$70.9
-34.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.47฿277
$11.76$11.76
-27.98%
Cappuccino
$3.03฿98.9
$6.14$6.14
-50.65%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.52
$3.44$3.44
-79.94%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.96
$2.69$2.69
-86.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.49฿81.3
$6.86$6.86
-63.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66฿120
$6.13$6.13
-40.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
The Dalles, OR
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿71.3
$1.05$1.05
107.62%
White Bread(500g)
$1.90฿62.2
$3.25$3.25
-41.54%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.20฿71.8
$4.16$4.16
-47.12%
Eggs
$2.22฿72.6
$2.94$2.94
-24.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.99฿653
$17.64$17.64
13.32%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.66฿120
$10.66$10.66
-65.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.25฿433
$11.10$11.10
19.37%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿106
$6.76$6.76
-52.22%
Banana(1kg)
$1.70฿55.5
$1.63$1.63
4.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.39฿78.2
$4.34$4.34
-44.93%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿67.9
$4.51$4.51
-53.88%
Potato(1kg)
$1.59฿52.0
$2.92$2.92
-45.55%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.47
$2.74$2.74
-45.99%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03฿33.65
$2.48$2.48
-58.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52฿16.89
$1.98$1.98
-73.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.25฿139
$12.55$12.55
-66.14%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.79฿614
$14.76$14.76
27.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76฿57.4
$1.90$1.90
-7.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.76฿90.1
$4.58$4.58
-39.74%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
The Dalles, OR
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.36฿44.47
$1.97$1.97
-30.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.36฿371
$44.51$44.51
-74.48%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.14฿103
$5.10$5.10
-38.43%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿33.85
$1.22$1.22
-14.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.77฿450
$52.9$52.9
-73.95%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿43.94
$1.12$1.12
19.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K฿904.5K
$35.5K$35.5K
-22.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K฿1.1M
$25.7K$25.7K
31.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
The Dalles, OR
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124฿4,039
$121$121
2.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.52฿442
$60.4$60.4
-77.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.69฿611
$68.9$68.9
-72.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
The Dalles, OR
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.8฿2,020
$43.25$43.25
42.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.25฿564
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.14฿299
$11.01$11.01
-16.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
The Dalles, OR
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$703฿23.0K
$995$995
-29.36%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.9K฿518.7K
$23.1K$23.1K
-31.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
The Dalles, OR
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,943
$40.26$40.26
47.69%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.07฿1,146
$34.69$34.69
1.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,767
$60.4$60.4
91.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.1฿2,747
$79.6$79.6
5.59%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
The Dalles, OR
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$619฿20.2K
$1,584$1,584
-60.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$433฿14.1K
$1,369$1,369
-68.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,062฿67.4K
$2,631$2,631
-21.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511฿49.4K
$2,232$2,232
-32.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,646฿119.1K
$2,762$2,762
31.98%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,626฿85.8K
$2,234$2,234
17.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
The Dalles, OR
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$507฿16.6K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.66
-19.97%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Last update for The Dalles, OR: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $1,584 in The Dalles, OR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $71.0 in The Dalles, OR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $390 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 The Dalles, OR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Dalles, OR cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 109% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $3,963 in The Dalles, OR 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 The Dalles, OR?
Rent for a central apartment: $619 in Phuket versus $1,584 in The Dalles, OR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $995 in The Dalles, OR. 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 The Dalles, OR?
Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in The Dalles, OR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or The Dalles, OR?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,642 in The Dalles, OR, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in The Dalles, OR. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or The Dalles, OR more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in The Dalles, OR, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or The Dalles, OR?
Safety-wise, Phuket and The Dalles, OR 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 109% less than in The Dalles, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.