Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and University Place, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and University Place, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,695 in University Place, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $4,006 in University Place, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $5,317 in University Place, WA.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 53% less than in University Place, WA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, University Place, WA is 101% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$16.21 $16.21

-71.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$120 $120

-61.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$12.56 $12.56

-30.89%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$5.98 $5.98

-50.67%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$2.97 $2.97

-76.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$2.37 $2.37

-83.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$9.02 $9.02

-71.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$11.88 $11.88

-68.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.12 $1.12

98.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$4.24 $4.24

-57.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$2.73 $2.73

-19.78%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$4.98 $4.98

-53.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$11.56 $11.56

67.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$16.21 $16.21

-76.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$19.13 $19.13

-30.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$5.20 $5.20

-35.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.70 $1.70

-2.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$5.00 $5.00

-54.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$3.71 $3.71

-46.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$3.29 $3.29

-53.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$2.74 $2.74

-44.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$1.98 $1.98

-47.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$3.00 $3.00

-83.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$11.04 $11.04

-60.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$18.24 $18.24

6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$1.71 $1.71

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$3.59 $3.59

-25.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$1.95 $1.95

-26.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$2.65 $2.65

14.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$2.00 $2.00

-48.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$30.03 $30.03

-54.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$1.19 $1.19

9.24%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$30.4K $30.4K

-8.29%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$25.5K $25.5K

29.63%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$159 $159

-22.47%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$53.1 $53.1

-73.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$86.5 $86.5

-78.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$42.45 $42.45

44.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$18.09 $18.09

-50.97%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$2,086 $2,086

-66.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$29.4K $29.4K

-45.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$58.5 $58.5

1.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$38.21 $38.21

-8.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$96.9 $96.9

16.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$113 $113

-24.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$1,613 $1,613

-61.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$1,337 $1,337

-66.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$2,657 $2,657

-21.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$2,240 $2,240

-33.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

$2,593 $2,593

44.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

$2,641 $2,641

0.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

$8,094 $8,094

-93.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.51

-18.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for University Place, WA: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $1,613 in University Place, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

University Place, WA pays 1417% 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: $46 in Phuket vs $120 in University Place, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $444 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 University Place, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, University Place, WA earns 1417% less. 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: $615 in Phuket versus $1,613 in University Place, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $696 in Phuket versus $2,086 in University Place, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $120 in University Place, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,695 in University Place, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in University Place, WA. 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 University Place, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and University Place, 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in University Place, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.