ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $2,577 in Pikeville, KY versus $1,270 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $3,811 in Pikeville, KY versus $2,304 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,045 in Pikeville, KY versus $3,339 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Pikeville, KY is roughly 103% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Pikeville, KY is 92% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Pikeville, KY
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.98$17.98
$4.66āļŋ150
285.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$78.7$78.7
$46.44āļŋ1,496
69.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.04$10.04
$8.68āļŋ280
15.67%
Cappuccino
$5.30$5.30
$2.95āļŋ95.0
79.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31$2.31
$0.70āļŋ22.52
230.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05$2.05
$0.39āļŋ12.70
425.64%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.84$5.84
$2.53āļŋ81.6
130.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.64$7.64
$3.78āļŋ122
102.12%
ð Groceries & Markets
Pikeville, KY
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.55$0.55
$2.22āļŋ71.5
-75.23%
White Bread(500g)
$2.75$2.75
$1.80āļŋ57.8
52.78%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.15$5.15
$2.19āļŋ70.4
135.16%
Eggs
$3.13$3.13
$2.31āļŋ74.5
35.50%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.47$15.47
$19.34āļŋ623
-20.01%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$12.24$12.24
$3.77āļŋ121
224.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.80$14.80
$13.22āļŋ426
11.95%
Apples(1kg)
$5.56$5.56
$3.33āļŋ107
66.97%
Banana(1kg)
$1.52$1.52
$1.65āļŋ53.1
-7.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.19$4.19
$2.29āļŋ73.7
82.97%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.63$5.63
$1.99āļŋ64.1
182.91%
Potato(1kg)
$2.67$2.67
$1.53āļŋ49.24
74.51%
Onion(1kg)
$2.72$2.72
$1.51āļŋ48.77
80.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.90$1.90
$1.03āļŋ33.12
84.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.05$2.05
$0.51āļŋ16.57
301.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.81$8.81
$4.41āļŋ142
99.77%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.71$15.71
$19.41āļŋ625
-19.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.73$2.73
$1.80āļŋ58.0
51.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.25$3.25
$2.68āļŋ86.4
21.27%
ð Getting Around
Pikeville, KY
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.02$2.02
$1.43āļŋ46.11
41.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70āļŋ377
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.74$2.74
$3.04āļŋ97.9
-9.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.39$1.39
$1.04āļŋ33.37
33.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.75$29.75
$13.68āļŋ441
117.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.84$0.84
$1.30āļŋ41.85
-35.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.8K$34.8K
$27.9Kāļŋ898.9K
24.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K$26.3K
$33.0Kāļŋ1.1M
-20.26%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pikeville, KY
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$239$239
$123āļŋ3,962
93.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$55.9$55.9
$13.82āļŋ445
304.12%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$60.9$60.9
$18.86āļŋ608
222.64%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Pikeville, KY
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.68$42.68
$61.2āļŋ1,970
-30.20%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.81āļŋ541
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.94$11.94
$8.87āļŋ286
34.61%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Pikeville, KY
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,264$1,264
$696āļŋ22.4K
81.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$13.4K$13.4K
$16.1Kāļŋ517.4K
-16.85%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Pikeville, KY
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.19$49.19
$59.3āļŋ1,910
-17.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.15$44.15
$34.85āļŋ1,123
26.69%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.5$86.5
$113āļŋ3,646
-23.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$95.2$95.2
$85.1āļŋ2,740
11.88%
ð Accommodation & Living
Pikeville, KY
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,591$1,591
$615āļŋ19.8K
158.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,339$1,339
$448āļŋ14.4K
198.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,662$2,662
$2,085āļŋ67.2K
27.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,225$2,225
$1,496āļŋ48.2K
48.72%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,348$2,348
$3,734āļŋ120.3K
-37.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,065$2,065
$2,662āļŋ85.8K
-22.41%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Pikeville, KY
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$534āļŋ17.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.61
5.33
24.02%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pikeville, KY: April 20, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,591 in Pikeville, KY and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $79 in Pikeville, KY vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $291 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
Pikeville, KY vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Pikeville, KY?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,865 in Pikeville, KY and $1,904 in Phuket 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 Pikeville, KY and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,591 in Pikeville, KY versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,264 in Pikeville, KY versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Pikeville, KY or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket â a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $79.0 in Pikeville, KY. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Pikeville, KY or Phuket?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,577 in Pikeville, KY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Pikeville, KY. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Pikeville, KY or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pikeville, KY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Pikeville, KY or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Pikeville, KY and Phuket 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 â expenses run 103% less than in Pikeville, KY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Pikeville, KY vs other spots: cost of living compared