Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Arthur, TX and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Port Arthur, TX and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,597 in Port Arthur, TX versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,754 in Port Arthur, TX versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,911 in Port Arthur, TX versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Port Arthur, TX is roughly 105% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port Arthur, TX is 95% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.98 $18.98

$4.48 ฿150

323.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.0 $76.0

$45.59 ฿1,525

66.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.12 $11.12

$8.76 ฿293

26.94%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$2.97 ฿99.3

74.75%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$0.69 ฿22.96

275.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.39 ฿13.07

420.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.97 $5.97

$2.53 ฿84.7

135.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$3.75 ฿125

83.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.15 ฿71.8

-51.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.82 ฿60.7

91.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.18 ฿73.1

102.75%

Eggs

$4.13 $4.13

$2.25 ฿75.2

83.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.24 $12.24

$20.00 ฿669

-38.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.60 $11.60

$3.63 ฿121

219.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.72 $15.72

$13.56 ฿453

15.93%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$3.24 ฿109

46.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.64 ฿54.7

-3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.21 $4.21

$2.33 ฿78.0

80.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$2.07 ฿69.3

128.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.55 ฿51.8

87.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.46 ฿48.67

95.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.98 ฿32.94

104.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.48 ฿16.13

341.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.33 $9.33

$4.35 ฿146

114.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.24 $14.24

$18.57 ฿621

-23.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.86 ฿62.1

-4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.65 ฿88.8

23.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.42 ฿47.40

38.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.17 ฿106

10.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.03 ฿34.51

61.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.82 $28.82

$13.89 ฿465

107.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.34 ฿44.96

-32.09%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

5.70%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-22.39%

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

$184 $184

$123 ฿4,116

49.61%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$13.77 ฿461

277.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.0 $67.0

$18.33 ฿613

265.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.53 $43.53

$60.7 ฿2,030

-28.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$13.62 $13.62

$8.87 ฿297

53.55%

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

$1,303 $1,303

$688 ฿23.0K

89.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

50.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.97 $49.97

$59.3 ฿1,984

-15.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.43 $40.43

$34.69 ฿1,160

16.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 $86.7

$115 ฿3,853

-24.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$83.8 ฿2,802

32.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 $1,576

$621 ฿20.8K

153.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 $1,375

$446 ฿14.9K

208.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,675 $2,675

$2,034 ฿68.0K

31.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,256 $2,256

$1,496 ฿50.0K

50.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,720 $2,720

$3,455 ฿115.6K

-21.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,460 $2,460

$2,531 ฿84.7K

-2.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.33

22.14%

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

Last update for Port Arthur, TX: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,576 in Port Arthur, TX and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $76.0 in Port Arthur, TX vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 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

Port Arthur, TX vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 105% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,895 in Port Arthur, TX and $1,896 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,576 in Port Arthur, TX versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Port Arthur, TX versus $688 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $76.0 in Port Arthur, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,597 in Port Arthur, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Port Arthur, 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 Port Arthur, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Port Arthur, TX 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 105% less than in Port Arthur, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.