😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,554 in Pooler, GA versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,677 in Pooler, GA versus $2,078 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,800 in Pooler, GA versus $2,896 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Pooler, GA is roughly 103% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Pooler, GA is 86% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pooler, GA
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.76$19.76
$4.43฿145
346.05%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.9$69.9
$35.07฿1,151
99.34%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.95$11.95
$8.96฿294
33.37%
Cappuccino
$5.30$5.30
$3.00฿98.4
76.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82$2.82
$0.77฿25.33
266.23%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.11$2.11
$0.47฿15.44
348.94%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.43$5.43
$2.40฿78.6
126.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.47$6.47
$3.75฿123
72.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pooler, GA
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.93$0.93
$1.82฿59.8
-48.90%
White Bread(500g)
$2.57$2.57
$1.42฿46.65
80.99%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.96$3.96
$1.55฿50.8
155.48%
Eggs
$3.76$3.76
$2.13฿69.9
76.53%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.83$9.83
$19.76฿648
-50.25%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.29$8.29
$3.48฿114
138.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$16.29$16.29
$11.09฿364
46.89%
Apples(1kg)
$6.52$6.52
$2.91฿95.5
124.05%
Banana(1kg)
$1.63$1.63
$1.66฿54.6
-1.81%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.54$4.54
$2.27฿74.5
100.00%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.97$3.97
$2.10฿68.8
89.05%
Potato(1kg)
$3.12$3.12
$1.47฿48.24
112.24%
Onion(1kg)
$3.20$3.20
$1.41฿46.29
126.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.97$1.97
$1.09฿35.78
80.73%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94$1.94
$0.54฿17.58
259.26%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.57$8.57
$4.48฿147
91.29%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.72$12.72
$18.72฿614
-32.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81$1.81
$1.84฿60.4
-1.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73$2.73
$2.95฿96.7
-7.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Pooler, GA
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.95$1.95
$2.26฿74.1
-13.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$23.07฿757
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.98$1.98
$3.04฿99.9
-34.87%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.57$1.57
$1.09฿35.82
44.04%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$18.09$18.09
$3.82฿125
373.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.86$0.86
$1.49฿48.79
-42.28%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.5K$34.5K
$27.4K฿900.3K
25.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K$25.6K
$27.5K฿902.7K
-7.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pooler, GA
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$222$222
$102฿3,340
118.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.6$58.6
$11.28฿370
419.24%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$64.5$64.5
$17.75฿582
263.10%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pooler, GA
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.01$42.01
$54.2฿1,777
-22.45%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.96฿360
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.20$15.20
$7.85฿258
93.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pooler, GA
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$942$942
$577฿18.9K
63.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$18.1K$18.1K
$11.6K฿381.6K
55.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pooler, GA
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.2$52.2
$65.4฿2,144
-20.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.33$39.33
$28.89฿948
36.14%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.1$83.1
$99.1฿3,250
-16.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115$115
$90.3฿2,961
27.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pooler, GA
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,553$1,553
$756฿24.8K
105.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,289$1,289
$487฿16.0K
164.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,490$2,490
$2,085฿68.4K
19.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,167$2,167
$1,207฿39.6K
79.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,756$2,756
$3,591฿117.8K
-23.25%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,411$2,411
$2,610฿85.6K
-7.63%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pooler, GA
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$502฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.03
5.57
8.26%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pooler, GA: August 16, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,553 in Pooler, GA and $756 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $70.0 in Pooler, GA vs $35.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $272 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
Pooler, GA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Pooler, GA?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. 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 $3,830 in Pooler, GA and $1,891 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 Pooler, GA and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,553 in Pooler, GA versus $756 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $942 in Pooler, GA versus $577 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Pooler, GA or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $70.0 in Pooler, GA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Pooler, GA or in Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,554 in Pooler, GA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Pooler, GA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Pooler, GA or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pooler, GA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Pooler, GA or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Pooler, GA 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 – expenses run 103% less than in Pooler, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Pooler, GA vs other spots: cost of living compared