Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Port St Lucie, FL and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,870 in Port St Lucie, FL, rent and utilities included – about $19,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Port St Lucie, FL, United States
Phuket, Thailand
Port St Lucie, FL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,870
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Port St Lucie, FL and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Port St Lucie, FL and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,870 in Port St Lucie, FL versus $1,278 in Phuket.

  • Port St Lucie, FL $2,870
  • Phuket $1,278

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,018 in Port St Lucie, FL versus $2,216 in Phuket.

  • Port St Lucie, FL $4,018
  • Phuket $2,216

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,166 in Port St Lucie, FL versus $3,154 in Phuket.

  • Port St Lucie, FL $5,166
  • Phuket $3,154

Living in Port St Lucie, FL is roughly 125% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Port St Lucie, FL is 111% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Port St Lucie, FL
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$21.36 $21.36
$4.47 ฿151
377.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$79.3 $79.3
$32.41 ฿1,093
144.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.34 $11.34
$8.81 ฿297
28.72%
Cappuccino
$4.28 $4.28
$2.83 ฿95.4
51.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.04 $3.04
$0.87 ฿29.41
249.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.30 $2.30
$0.49 ฿16.65
369.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.03 $6.03
$2.56 ฿86.3
135.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.92 $7.92
$3.68 ฿124
115.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Port St Lucie, FL
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.09 $1.09
$1.66 ฿55.9
-34.34%
White Bread (500g)
$3.88 $3.88
$1.46 ฿49.31
165.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.41 $4.41
$1.50 ฿50.5
194.00%
Eggs
$3.34 $3.34
$2.09 ฿70.5
59.81%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.24 $12.24
$19.07 ฿643
-35.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.72 $10.72
$3.30 ฿111
224.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$16.62 $16.62
$10.91 ฿368
52.34%
Apples (1kg)
$4.15 $4.15
$2.93 ฿98.9
41.64%
Banana (1kg)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.69 ฿57.0
4.73%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.03 $2.03
$2.25 ฿75.8
-9.78%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.68 $2.68
$2.08 ฿70.0
28.85%
Potato (1kg)
$1.96 $1.96
$1.51 ฿51.0
29.80%
Onion (1kg)
$2.43 $2.43
$1.38 ฿46.52
76.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.47 $2.47
$1.07 ฿35.96
130.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.36 $2.36
$0.52 ฿17.51
353.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.11 $9.11
$4.20 ฿142
116.90%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.77 $14.77
$18.79 ฿634
-21.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69 $1.69
$1.82 ฿61.5
-7.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61 $3.61
$2.84 ฿95.8
27.11%
🚌 Getting Around
Port St Lucie, FL
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.45 ฿48.98
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$45.81 $45.81
$56.7 ฿1,912
-19.15%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.94 $2.94
$3.02 ฿102
-2.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.93 $1.93
$1.02 ฿34.33
89.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.35 $30.35
$3.69 ฿125
722.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.92 $0.92
$1.47 ฿49.76
-37.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.5K $36.5K
$26.8K ฿903.4K
36.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.4K $26.4K
$26.7K ฿900.5K
-1.25%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port St Lucie, FL
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$202 $202
$96.4 ฿3,251
109.48%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$64.4 $64.4
$11.26 ฿380
472.20%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$77.5 $77.5
$16.85 ฿568
359.88%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Port St Lucie, FL
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.87 $38.87
$67.2 ฿2,268
-42.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.08 $20.08
$10.73 ฿362
87.14%
Cinema Ticket
$16.28 $16.28
$7.50 ฿253
117.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Port St Lucie, FL
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,636 $1,636
$476 ฿16.1K
243.79%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.3K $21.3K
$11.3K ฿380.0K
89.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Port St Lucie, FL
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.0 $53.0
$62.4 ฿2,104
-15.06%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.64 $38.64
$28.41 ฿958
36.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.5 $93.5
$94.3 ฿3,181
-0.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.9 $84.9
$85.8 ฿2,895
-1.04%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Port St Lucie, FL
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,824 $1,824
$716 ฿24.2K
154.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,583 $1,583
$491 ฿16.6K
222.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,765 $2,765
$1,927 ฿65.0K
43.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,322 $2,322
$1,431 ฿48.3K
62.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,898 $2,898
$4,175 ฿140.9K
-30.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,378 $2,378
$3,045 ฿102.7K
-21.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Port St Lucie, FL
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,826 $3,826
$502 ฿16.9K
661.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.38
5.57
14.54%

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

Last update for Port St Lucie, FL: October 24, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Port St Lucie, FL
$1.6K
Phuket
$491 69% $1.1K
Groceries & Markets
Port St Lucie, FL
$368
Phuket
$266 27.6% $102
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Port St Lucie, FL
$344
Phuket
$124 63.8% $219
Eating Out
Port St Lucie, FL
$324
Phuket
$122 62.4% $202
Clothing & Footwear
Port St Lucie, FL
$122
Phuket
$122 0.3% $0.4
Sport & Entertainment
Port St Lucie, FL
$71
Phuket
$82 15.1% $11
Getting Around
Port St Lucie, FL
$58 *
Phuket
$71 20.9% $12

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,824 in Port St Lucie, FL and $716 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Port St Lucie, FL pays about 7.6 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $79 in Port St Lucie, FL vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $368 vs $266 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Port St Lucie, FL
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
15:35 3:35 PM
02:35 2:35 AM
11 h ahead of Port St Lucie, FL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
164,603
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 31, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.67 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Port St Lucie, FL Phuket 16,100 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Port St Lucie, FL
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 St Lucie, FL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Port St Lucie, FL?
Phuket is about 55% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, utilities, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Port St Lucie, FL or Phuket?
Average pay in Port St Lucie, FL is about 7.6 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Port St Lucie, FL and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,824 in Port St Lucie, FL versus $716 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,636 in Port St Lucie, FL versus $476 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Port St Lucie, FL and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Port St Lucie, FL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Port St Lucie, FL or in Phuket?
At $1,278 in Phuket versus $2,870 in Port St Lucie, FL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Port St Lucie, FL. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Port St Lucie, FL or in Phuket?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Port St Lucie, FL on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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