Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Waipahu, HI Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Waipahu, HI

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,102 in Waipahu, HI.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $4,775 in Waipahu, HI.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $6,448 in Waipahu, HI.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 59% less than in Waipahu, HI, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Waipahu, HI is 132% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$23.93 $23.93

-80.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,489

$98.3 $98.3

-53.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿277

$15.26 $15.26

-44.76%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.1

$6.70 $6.70

-56.27%

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

$0.69 ฿22.50

$3.65 $3.65

-81.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$2.72 $2.72

-86.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$8.17 $8.17

-70.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$8.76 $8.76

-57.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.3

$1.35 $1.35

65.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$6.69 $6.69

-72.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$10.16 $10.16

-78.64%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$7.59 $7.59

-70.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿648

$12.38 $12.38

59.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$19.36 $19.36

-81.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$19.69 $19.69

-31.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$6.79 $6.79

-51.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$1.51 $1.51

6.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$6.64 $6.64

-63.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$8.37 $8.37

-75.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$5.03 $5.03

-69.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.58

$4.46 $4.46

-66.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.44

$4.73 $4.73

-79.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.74

$3.08 $3.08

-83.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

$10.03 $10.03

-56.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$19.71 $19.71

-1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$2.54 $2.54

-29.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$5.78 $5.78

-53.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.99

$2.06 $2.06

-33.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$79.6 $79.6

-85.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.1

$3.56 $3.56

-15.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.63

$2.68 $2.68

-63.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

$44.84 $44.84

-68.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.71

$1.22 $1.22

11.48%

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

$28.2K ฿925.3K

$29.6K $29.6K

-4.78%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.5K $24.5K

34.32%

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

$122 ฿3,993

$239 $239

-49.03%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$65.1 $65.1

-79.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿601

$67.5 $67.5

-72.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

$42.51 $42.51

41.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$16.03 $16.03

-45.79%

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

$693 ฿22.8K

$1,477 $1,477

-53.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.7K

$20.7K $20.7K

-24.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,953

$44.84 $44.84

32.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,141

$39.74 $39.74

-12.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,760

$93.8 $93.8

22.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,733

$125 $125

-33.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$1,625 $1,625

-62.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$1,476 $1,476

-70.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$2,801 $2,801

-25.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$2,648 $2,648

-42.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

$2,686 $2,686

39.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$2,705 $2,705

-3.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.59

-19.12%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Waipahu, HI: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,625 in Waipahu, HI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $98.0 in Waipahu, HI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $600 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 Waipahu, HI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 145% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $4,654 in Waipahu, HI 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,625 in Waipahu, HI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $1,477 in Waipahu, HI. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 105% higher in Waipahu, HI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,102 in Waipahu, HI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Waipahu, HI. 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 Waipahu, HI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Waipahu, HI 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 145% less than in Waipahu, HI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.