Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochester, MN and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Rochester, MN and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,791 in Rochester, MN versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,012 in Rochester, MN versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,232 in Rochester, MN versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Rochester, MN is roughly 121% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rochester, MN is 108% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.78 $15.78

$4.56 ฿149

246.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.7 $75.7

$46.63 ฿1,519

62.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 $10.95

$8.47 ฿276

29.28%

Cappuccino

$6.18 $6.18

$3.03 ฿98.6

103.96%

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

$2.67 $2.67

$0.69 ฿22.45

286.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.37 ฿11.92

532.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.49 ฿81.0

97.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$3.66 ฿119

96.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.18 ฿71.0

-59.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.90 ฿62.0

29.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.20 ฿71.6

2.73%

Eggs

$3.57 $3.57

$2.22 ฿72.4

60.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 $12.68

$19.99 ฿651

-36.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 $11.78

$3.66 ฿119

221.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.80 $16.80

$13.25 ฿432

26.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.23 ฿105

42.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.70 ฿55.3

-7.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$2.39 ฿78.0

55.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.08 ฿67.7

63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.59 ฿51.8

28.93%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.48 ฿48.31

104.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.03 ฿33.54

197.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$0.52 ฿16.83

488.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.11 $9.11

$4.25 ฿138

114.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$18.79 ฿612

-20.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.76 ฿57.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.76 ฿89.8

10.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.36 ฿44.32

48.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.68 $42.68

$11.36 ฿370

275.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.14 ฿102

-34.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.04 ฿33.74

102.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.12 $20.12

$13.77 ฿448

46.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.34 ฿43.79

-40.30%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

-4.87%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-27.33%

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

$127 $127

$124 ฿4,025

2.44%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$13.52 ฿440

284.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 $60.4

$18.69 ฿609

223.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 $68.7

$61.8 ฿2,013

11.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$12.16 $12.16

$9.14 ฿298

33.04%

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

$1,365 $1,365

$703 ฿22.9K

94.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K $12.0K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-24.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.8 $62.8

$59.5 ฿1,937

5.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.7 $61.7

$35.07 ฿1,142

75.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 $72.8

$115 ฿3,754

-36.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.5 $85.5

$84.1 ฿2,737

1.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 $1,438

$619 ฿20.1K

132.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 $1,614

$433 ฿14.1K

273.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,099 $2,099

$2,062 ฿67.2K

1.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,656 $2,656

$1,511 ฿49.2K

75.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,071 $2,071

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-43.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,076 $2,076

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-20.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,537 $4,537

$507 ฿16.5K

794.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.4

5.33

20.08%

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

Last update for Rochester, MN: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,438 in Rochester, MN and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rochester, MN pays 795% 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: $76.0 in Rochester, MN vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 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

Rochester, MN vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 121% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Rochester, MN pays 795% more on average, 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: $1,438 in Rochester, MN versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,365 in Rochester, MN versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Rochester, MN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,791 in Rochester, MN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rochester, MN. 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 Rochester, MN, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rochester, MN 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 121% less than in Rochester, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.