Cost of Living Comparison Between Roma, TX and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Roma, TX and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,632 in Roma, TX versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,838 in Roma, TX versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,044 in Roma, TX versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Roma, TX is roughly 114% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Roma, TX is 92% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.13 $20.13

$4.41 ฿147

356.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$32.26 ฿1,074

133.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.30 $11.30

$8.93 ฿297

26.54%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$2.90 ฿96.4

84.48%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$0.88 ฿29.30

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.48 ฿16.01

310.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.10 $6.10

$2.35 ฿78.3

159.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$3.72 ฿124

89.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.87 ฿62.1

-43.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.47 ฿48.81

134.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$1.55 ฿51.7

180.65%

Eggs

$4.11 $4.11

$2.10 ฿70.0

95.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.18 $12.18

$19.59 ฿652

-37.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.73 $11.73

$3.42 ฿114

242.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.98 $16.98

$11.38 ฿379

49.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.98 ฿99.3

65.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.68 ฿56.1

-6.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.21 ฿73.5

96.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.16 ฿72.0

114.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.52 ฿50.8

88.16%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.34 ฿44.55

127.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.13 ฿37.57

94.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.55 ฿18.19

298.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.93 $9.93

$4.26 ฿142

133.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$19.09 ฿635

-20.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.78 ฿59.2

8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.78 ฿92.6

17.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.23 ฿74.2

-8.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.83 $25.83

$22.74 ฿757

13.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.03 ฿101

-3.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.02 ฿34.06

62.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.99 $24.99

$3.89 ฿130

542.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.49 ฿49.63

-31.54%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$26.6K ฿884.9K

36.70%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.0K ฿899.8K

-6.23%

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

$197 $197

$102 ฿3,411

92.54%

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

$57.8 $57.8

$11.33 ฿377

410.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 $68.8

$17.40 ฿579

295.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.08 $42.08

$52.1 ฿1,734

-19.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 $19.95

$11.07 ฿369

80.22%

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$7.69 ฿256

85.70%

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

$1,507 $1,507

$561 ฿18.7K

168.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

106.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 $51.9

$63.0 ฿2,098

-17.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.72 $41.72

$29.52 ฿983

41.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 $88.4

$98.0 ฿3,263

-9.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$88.5 ฿2,946

28.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,615 $1,615

$738 ฿24.6K

118.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,304 $1,304

$482 ฿16.1K

170.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,536 $2,536

$2,107 ฿70.1K

20.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,117 $2,117

$1,226 ฿40.8K

72.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,764 $2,764

$3,617 ฿120.4K

-23.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,386 $2,386

$2,603 ฿86.7K

-8.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,343 $1,343

$494 ฿16.4K

172.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

5.57

9.87%

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

Last update for Roma, TX: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,615 in Roma, TX and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Roma, TX pays 172% 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: $75.0 in Roma, TX vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $396 vs $274 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

Roma, TX 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 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 172% higher in Roma, TX, 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: $1,615 in Roma, TX versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,507 in Roma, TX versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Roma, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,632 in Roma, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Roma, TX. 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 Roma, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Roma, TX 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 114% less than in Roma, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.