Cost of Living Comparison Between Portland, ME and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Portland, ME and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,242 in Portland, ME versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,727 in Portland, ME versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,211 in Portland, ME versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Portland, ME is roughly 156% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Portland, ME is 135% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.36 $25.36

$4.66 ฿154

444.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$32.22 ฿1,065

279.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.95 $11.95

$8.68 ฿287

37.67%

Cappuccino

$3.92 $3.92

$2.90 ฿95.8

35.17%

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

$3.19 $3.19

$0.84 ฿27.89

279.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.49 ฿16.16

397.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.04 $8.04

$2.48 ฿82.0

224.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.84 $7.84

$3.73 ฿123

110.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.89 ฿62.3

-44.97%

White Bread (500g)

$4.79 $4.79

$1.41 ฿46.54

239.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$1.62 ฿53.6

409.88%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$2.24 ฿74.1

73.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.33 $19.33

$19.84 ฿656

-2.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.02 $10.02

$3.48 ฿115

187.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.06 $16.06

$11.37 ฿376

41.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.90 ฿95.8

73.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.72 ฿57.0

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.27 ฿75.1

159.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$2.13 ฿70.4

212.21%

Potato (1kg)

$6.38 $6.38

$1.47 ฿48.72

334.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$1.42 ฿46.92

165.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.10 ฿36.25

186.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$0.60 ฿19.76

336.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.08 $11.08

$4.31 ฿142

157.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$18.60 ฿615

-17.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.80 ฿59.5

8.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.97 ฿98.0

-10.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.25 ฿74.2

-13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.3 $60.3

$23.49 ฿776

156.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.10 ฿102

-36.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.08 ฿35.56

40.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.18 $11.18

$3.87 ฿128

188.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.43 ฿47.16

-32.87%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

28.62%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-5.42%

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

$228 $228

$105 ฿3,462

117.29%

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

$68.0 $68.0

$11.39 ฿376

497.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.0 $79.0

$17.54 ฿580

350.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 $65.5

$54.3 ฿1,795

20.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.02 $40.02

$11.44 ฿378

249.83%

Cinema Ticket

$14.23 $14.23

$7.78 ฿257

82.90%

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

$812 $812

$576 ฿19.0K

40.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$33.4K $33.4K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

188.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$63.6 ฿2,103

-18.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$79.8 $79.8

$29.10 ฿961

174.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$96.2 ฿3,179

6.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$90.0 ฿2,974

49.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,237 $2,237

$733 ฿24.2K

205.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,646 $1,646

$501 ฿16.5K

228.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,307 $3,307

$2,126 ฿70.2K

55.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,252 ฿41.4K

111.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,121 $4,121

$3,534 ฿116.8K

16.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,037 $4,037

$2,622 ฿86.6K

53.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,571 $4,571

$508 ฿16.8K

800.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.23

5.57

11.85%

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

Last update for Portland, ME: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,237 in Portland, ME and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Portland, ME pays 801% 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: $122 in Portland, ME vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $472 vs $275 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

Portland, ME vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 156% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 801% higher in Portland, ME, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,237 in Portland, ME versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $812 in Portland, ME versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Portland, ME. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,242 in Portland, ME, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Portland, ME. 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 Portland, ME, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Portland, ME 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 156% less than in Portland, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.