🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,896 in Williamsburg, VA.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $4,154 in Williamsburg, VA.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $5,412 in Williamsburg, VA.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 56% less than in Williamsburg, VA, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Williamsburg, VA is 116% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Williamsburg, VA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$19.75$19.75
-76.20%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,489
$81.1$81.1
-44.08%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿277
$13.37$13.37
-36.95%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿96.1
$5.44$5.44
-46.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.50
$2.86$2.86
-75.87%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$2.22$2.22
-83.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿79.0
$5.95$5.95
-59.50%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$7.64$7.64
-51.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Williamsburg, VA
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.3
$0.96$0.96
132.29%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿60.1
$3.21$3.21
-42.99%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿71.1
$3.96$3.96
-45.20%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.6
$3.58$3.58
-38.27%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿648
$13.30$13.30
48.42%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$8.04$8.04
-54.85%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿444
$14.90$14.90
-9.19%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿108
$6.71$6.71
-51.12%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.9
$1.31$1.31
22.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$4.78$4.78
-49.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$3.41$3.41
-39.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.2
$3.57$3.57
-57.14%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.58
$2.78$2.78
-46.76%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.44
$1.59$1.59
-37.74%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.74
$1.80$1.80
-71.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿145
$6.36$6.36
-30.66%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿636
$10.36$10.36
87.07%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.4
$2.67$2.67
-33.33%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿89.0
$3.64$3.64
-25.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Williamsburg, VA
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.99
$1.97$1.97
-30.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿374
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿99.1
$3.55$3.55
-14.93%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.63
$2.42$2.42
-59.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿463
$29.75$29.75
-52.61%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.71
$0.83$0.83
63.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿925.3K
$29.1K$29.1K
-2.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$26.6K$26.6K
23.46%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Williamsburg, VA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,993
$188$188
-35.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿445
$55.7$55.7
-75.62%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿601
$67.1$67.1
-72.72%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Williamsburg, VA
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,976
$96.9$96.9
-37.83%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿562
$25.06$25.06
-31.60%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿285
$15.26$15.26
-43.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Williamsburg, VA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.8K
$1,734$1,734
-60.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿514.7K
$24.2K$24.2K
-35.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Williamsburg, VA
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,953
$37.29$37.29
59.64%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,141
$35.52$35.52
-2.11%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,760
$95.5$95.5
20.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,733
$153$153
-45.55%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Williamsburg, VA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.1K
$2,383$2,383
-74.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$1,548$1,548
-71.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.7K
$2,615$2,615
-19.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.5K
$2,570$2,570
-41.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿123.0K
$2,148$2,148
74.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.8K
$1,748$1,748
49.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Williamsburg, VA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
$4,480$4,480
-88.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.6
-19.24%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Williamsburg, VA: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $2,383 in Williamsburg, VA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Williamsburg, VA pays 782% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $81.0 in Williamsburg, VA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $360 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 Williamsburg, VA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Williamsburg, VA cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 129% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Williamsburg, VA?
On paper, Williamsburg, VA earns 782% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Williamsburg, VA?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $2,383 in Williamsburg, VA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $1,734 in Williamsburg, VA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Williamsburg, VA?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $81.0 in Williamsburg, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Williamsburg, VA?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,896 in Williamsburg, VA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Williamsburg, VA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Williamsburg, VA more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Williamsburg, VA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Williamsburg, VA?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Williamsburg, VA 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 129% less than in Williamsburg, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.