😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,282 in Pullman, WA versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,438 in Pullman, WA versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,595 in Pullman, WA versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Pullman, WA is roughly 81% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Pullman, WA is 70% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pullman, WA
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.43$16.43
$4.56฿149
260.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.6$64.6
$46.63฿1,519
38.52%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.94$8.94
$8.47฿276
5.55%
Cappuccino
$4.33$4.33
$3.03฿98.6
42.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21$2.21
$0.69฿22.45
220.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.88$1.88
$0.37฿11.92
408.11%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.88$5.88
$2.49฿81.0
136.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.46$5.46
$3.66฿119
49.18%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pullman, WA
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.03$1.03
$2.18฿71.0
-52.75%
White Bread(500g)
$3.76$3.76
$1.90฿62.0
97.89%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.84$3.84
$2.20฿71.6
74.55%
Eggs
$5.56$5.56
$2.22฿72.4
150.45%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$21.09$21.09
$19.99฿651
5.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$14.69$14.69
$3.66฿119
301.37%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$20.07$20.07
$13.25฿432
51.47%
Apples(1kg)
$3.88$3.88
$3.23฿105
20.12%
Banana(1kg)
$2.02$2.02
$1.70฿55.3
18.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.64$3.64
$2.39฿78.0
52.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$6.85$6.85
$2.08฿67.7
229.33%
Potato(1kg)
$2.39$2.39
$1.59฿51.8
50.31%
Onion(1kg)
$2.52$2.52
$1.48฿48.31
70.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.41$3.41
$1.03฿33.54
231.07%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$3.03$3.03
$0.52฿16.83
482.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.35$8.35
$4.25฿138
96.47%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.27$17.27
$18.79฿612
-8.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70$1.70
$1.76฿57.2
-3.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$9.10$9.10
$2.76฿89.8
229.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Pullman, WA
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.02$1.02
$1.36฿44.32
-25.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.43$30.43
$11.36฿370
167.87%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.89$3.89
$3.14฿102
23.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.71$1.71
$1.04฿33.74
64.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.57$29.57
$13.77฿448
114.74%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94$0.94
$1.34฿43.79
-29.85%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.8K$19.8K
$27.7K฿901.4K
-28.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$19.7K$19.7K
$33.9K฿1.1M
-41.89%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pullman, WA
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$104$104
$124฿4,025
-15.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$84.5$84.5
$13.52฿440
525.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.2$59.2
$18.69฿609
216.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pullman, WA
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.44$29.44
$61.8฿2,013
-52.38%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.16$10.16
$17.25฿562
-41.10%
Cinema Ticket
$15.14$15.14
$9.14฿298
65.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pullman, WA
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,212$1,212
$703฿22.9K
72.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.6K$23.6K
$15.9K฿517.0K
48.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pullman, WA
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.3$52.3
$59.5฿1,937
-12.06%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.25$22.25
$35.07฿1,142
-36.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.0$99.0
$115฿3,754
-14.11%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$160$160
$84.1฿2,737
90.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pullman, WA
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,216$1,216
$619฿20.1K
96.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,019$1,019
$433฿14.1K
135.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,124$2,124
$2,062฿67.2K
3.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,660$1,660
$1,511฿49.2K
9.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,231$2,231
$3,646฿118.7K
-38.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,216$2,216
$2,626฿85.5K
-15.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pullman, WA
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,460$3,460
$507฿16.5K
582.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.3
5.33
18.20%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Pullman, WA: June 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,216 in Pullman, WA and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Pullman, WA pays 582% 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: $65.0 in Pullman, WA vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $486 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
Pullman, WA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Pullman, WA?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Pullman, WA or Phuket?
Pullman, WA pays 582% 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 Pullman, WA and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,216 in Pullman, WA versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,212 in Pullman, WA versus $703 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 Pullman, WA and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Pullman, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Pullman, WA or Phuket?
At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,282 in Pullman, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Pullman, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Pullman, WA or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pullman, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Pullman, WA or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Pullman, WA 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 81% less than in Pullman, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Pullman, WA vs other spots: cost of living compared