Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome, GA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Rome, GA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,238 in Rome, GA versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,081 in Rome, GA versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,924 in Rome, GA versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Rome, GA is roughly 82% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rome, GA is 64% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.68 $13.68

$4.41 ฿147

210.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.03 $49.03

$32.26 ฿1,077

51.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 $9.08

$8.93 ฿298

1.68%

Cappuccino

$5.86 $5.86

$2.90 ฿96.6

102.07%

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

$2.66 $2.66

$0.88 ฿29.38

202.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.48 ฿16.06

379.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.35 ฿78.5

116.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 $5.98

$3.72 ฿124

60.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.87 ฿62.3

-47.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.47 ฿48.94

102.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.82 $4.82

$1.55 ฿51.8

210.97%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$2.10 ฿70.1

94.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.41 $7.41

$19.59 ฿654

-62.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.59 $7.59

$3.42 ฿114

121.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.25 $9.25

$11.38 ฿380

-18.72%

Apples (1kg)

$6.33 $6.33

$2.98 ฿99.6

112.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.68 ฿56.2

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.21 ฿73.7

23.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.16 ฿72.1

84.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.52 ฿50.9

136.84%

Onion (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$1.34 ฿44.67

302.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.13 ฿37.67

63.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.55 ฿18.24

225.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.83 $7.83

$4.26 ฿142

83.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.11 $15.11

$19.09 ฿637

-20.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.78 ฿59.4

-17.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 $1.49

$2.78 ฿92.9

-46.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.23 ฿74.4

-8.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 $3.01

$3.03 ฿101

-0.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.02 ฿34.15

52.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 $30.40

$3.89 ฿130

681.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.49 ฿49.77

-43.62%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

-5.67%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-8.12%

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

$254 $254

$102 ฿3,420

147.41%

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

$45.84 $45.84

$11.33 ฿378

304.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.9 $68.9

$17.40 ฿581

295.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.46 $42.46

$52.1 ฿1,738

-18.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$12.23 $12.23

$7.69 ฿257

59.04%

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

$704 $704

$561 ฿18.7K

25.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K $18.0K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

56.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.66 $24.66

$63.0 ฿2,104

-60.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.55 $24.55

$29.52 ฿986

-16.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 $91.4

$98.0 ฿3,272

-6.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$88.5 ฿2,954

53.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,273 $1,273

$738 ฿24.6K

72.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,049 $1,049

$482 ฿16.1K

117.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 $1,792

$2,107 ฿70.3K

-14.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,648 $1,648

$1,226 ฿40.9K

34.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,754 $1,754

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-51.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,775 $1,775

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-31.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,703 $2,703

$494 ฿16.5K

447.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.18

5.57

10.95%

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

Last update for Rome, GA: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,273 in Rome, GA and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rome, GA pays 448% 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: $49.00 in Rome, GA vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $324 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

Rome, GA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 448% higher in Rome, GA, 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: $1,273 in Rome, GA versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $704 in Rome, GA versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $49.00 in Rome, GA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,238 in Rome, GA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rome, GA. 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 Rome, GA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rome, GA 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 82% less than in Rome, GA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.