😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,512 in Provo, UT versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,633 in Provo, UT versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,754 in Provo, UT versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Provo, UT is roughly 99% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Provo, UT is 87% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Provo, UT
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.25$19.25
$4.70฿153
309.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.8$73.8
$45.37฿1,482
62.64%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.19$11.19
$8.43฿275
32.74%
Cappuccino
$5.01$5.01
$2.93฿95.6
70.99%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.60$2.60
$0.69฿22.40
276.81%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06$2.06
$0.37฿11.99
456.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.97$5.97
$2.41฿78.6
147.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.20$7.20
$3.72฿122
93.55%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Provo, UT
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.93$0.93
$2.23฿72.9
-58.30%
White Bread(500g)
$2.73$2.73
$1.83฿59.8
49.18%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.33$3.33
$2.17฿70.8
53.46%
Eggs
$4.03$4.03
$2.21฿72.3
82.35%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.84$8.84
$19.74฿645
-55.22%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$5.60$5.60
$3.63฿119
54.27%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$9.85$9.85
$13.53฿442
-27.20%
Apples(1kg)
$3.17$3.17
$3.28฿107
-3.35%
Banana(1kg)
$1.44$1.44
$1.61฿52.6
-10.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.30$4.30
$2.41฿78.6
78.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.94$2.94
$2.08฿68.1
41.35%
Potato(1kg)
$3.19$3.19
$1.53฿49.93
108.50%
Onion(1kg)
$1.89$1.89
$1.48฿48.36
27.70%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.89$1.89
$0.99฿32.29
90.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.78$2.78
$0.51฿16.67
445.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.57$9.57
$4.41฿144
117.01%
Wine(Bottle)
$16.38$16.38
$19.38฿633
-15.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77$1.77
$1.78฿58.1
-0.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29$3.29
$2.71฿88.6
21.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Provo, UT
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.95$1.95
$1.37฿44.79
42.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.39฿372
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.52$3.52
$3.02฿98.6
16.56%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.58$1.58
$0.99฿32.48
59.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$28.79$28.79
$14.10฿461
104.18%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.88$0.88
$1.36฿44.51
-35.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.1K$30.1K
$28.2K฿921.1K
6.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K$26.1K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-20.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Provo, UT
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$188$188
$122฿3,975
54.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.4$52.4
$13.57฿443
285.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.3$68.3
$18.31฿598
272.91%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Provo, UT
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.54$42.54
$60.2฿1,967
-29.36%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.55$13.55
$8.69฿284
55.93%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Provo, UT
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,316$1,316
$693฿22.6K
89.78%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.0K$23.0K
$15.7K฿512.3K
46.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Provo, UT
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.4$51.4
$59.5฿1,944
-13.67%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.39$40.39
$34.77฿1,136
16.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.2$88.2
$115฿3,743
-23.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$111$111
$83.3฿2,720
32.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Provo, UT
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,631$1,631
$613฿20.0K
165.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,380$1,380
$437฿14.3K
215.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,628$2,628
$2,094฿68.4K
25.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,214$2,214
$1,509฿49.3K
46.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,373$2,373
$3,749฿122.5K
-36.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,340$2,340
$2,616฿85.4K
-10.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Provo, UT
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,496$3,496
$508฿16.6K
587.97%
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 Provo, UT: June 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,631 in Provo, UT and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Provo, UT pays 588% 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: $74.0 in Provo, UT vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 vs $293 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
Provo, UT vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Provo, UT?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Provo, UT or Phuket?
Provo, UT pays 588% more on average, 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 Provo, UT and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,631 in Provo, UT versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,316 in Provo, UT versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Provo, UT or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $74.0 in Provo, UT. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Provo, UT or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,512 in Provo, UT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Provo, UT. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Provo, UT or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Provo, UT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Provo, UT or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Provo, UT 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 99% less than in Provo, UT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.