Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Waco, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,190 a month against $2,447 in Waco, TX, rent and utilities included – about $15,100 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
117

Cost of Living Index in Waco, TX
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Waco, TX Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

Waco, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,447

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Waco, TX

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 Waco, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,190 in Phuket versus $2,447 in Waco, TX.

Phuket $1,190
Waco, TX $2,447

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $3,090 in Waco, TX.

Phuket $2,006
Waco, TX $3,090

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $3,734 in Waco, TX.

Phuket $2,822
Waco, TX $3,734

Living in Phuket costs roughly 51% less than in Waco, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Waco, TX is 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

$15.21 $15.21

-71.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,087

$59.0 $59.0

-45.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿282

$12.18 $12.18

-30.87%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.0

$5.39 $5.39

-47.87%

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

$0.87 ฿29.31

$1.77 $1.77

-50.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.40

$1.49 $1.49

-69.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

$4.93 $4.93

-47.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿122

$5.52 $5.52

-34.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.2

$0.76 $0.76

125.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.45

$3.16 $3.16

-54.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.3

$2.03 $2.03

-23.15%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.3

$2.78 $2.78

-24.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿654

$12.06 $12.06

61.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$9.70 $9.70

-64.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿373

$11.67 $11.67

-4.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿94.9

$3.83 $3.83

-26.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.12 $1.12

44.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.5

$3.86 $3.86

-42.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿71.9

$3.71 $3.71

-42.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.98

$2.27 $2.27

-34.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.43

$2.86 $2.86

-53.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.74

$1.76 $1.76

-39.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.02

$0.99 $0.99

-48.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$8.54 $8.54

-48.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿629

$13.49 $13.49

39.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.3

$1.68 $1.68

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.0

$3.81 $3.81

-27.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.6

$1.54 $1.54

40.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿746

$40.12 $40.12

-44.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

$9.93 $9.93

-69.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.45

$1.90 $1.90

-44.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿124

$59.4 $59.4

-93.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.91

$0.89 $0.89

60.67%

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

$26.3K ฿882.6K

$36.2K $36.2K

-27.26%

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

$26.2K ฿877.8K

$25.0K $25.0K

4.75%

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

$96.7 ฿3,238

$175 $175

-44.91%

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

$11.41 ฿382

$40.53 $40.53

-71.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿573

$54.7 $54.7

-68.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,769

$27.96 $27.96

88.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿371

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿256

$9.07 $9.07

-15.66%

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

$555 ฿18.6K

$747 $747

-25.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿377.9K

$18.2K $18.2K

-37.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,124

$47.91 $47.91

32.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿958

$38.27 $38.27

-25.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,240

$85.3 $85.3

13.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,968

$95.4 $95.4

-7.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.6K

$1,244 $1,244

-40.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.3K

$1,328 $1,328

-65.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.4K

$1,541 $1,541

36.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.8K

$1,374 $1,374

-13.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.0K

$1,970 $1,970

77.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.5K

$1,955 $1,955

27.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

$3,156 $3,156

-84.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.49

-14.18%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Waco, TX: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$458 38.1%

Waco, TX

$1.3K 55% 190% $870

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.3%

Waco, TX

$312 12.9% 16.6% $45

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Waco, TX

$271 11.2% 116% $146

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Waco, TX

$120 5% 3.8% $4.7

Eating Out

Phuket

$119 9.9%

Waco, TX

$272 11.3% 128% $152

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.7%

Waco, TX

$46 1.9% 32.3% $22

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Waco, TX

$66 2.7% 67.5% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $735 in Phuket and $1,244 in Waco, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Waco, TX pays 530% 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 $59.0 in Waco, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $312 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Waco, TX

🕒 Local time

22:38 10:38 PM

10:38 10:38 AM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

138,486

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 12, 2026: 1 USD = 33.5 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.54 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Waco, TX 15,330 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Waco, TX

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 Waco, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 530% lower in Waco, TX. 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: $735 in Phuket versus $1,244 in Waco, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $555 in Phuket versus $747 in Waco, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Waco, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,190 in Phuket versus $2,447 in Waco, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Waco, TX. 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 Waco, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Waco, TX 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 106% less than in Waco, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.