😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,622 in Rutland, VT versus $1,223 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,179 in Rutland, VT versus $2,237 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,735 in Rutland, VT versus $3,251 in Phuket.
😐Living in Rutland, VT is roughly 114% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Rutland, VT is 97% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Rutland, VT
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.31$20.31
$4.51฿147
350.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.1$65.1
$46.62฿1,515
39.68%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.78$11.78
$8.49฿276
38.75%
Cappuccino
$4.08$4.08
$3.08฿100
32.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.18$2.18
$0.68฿22.07
220.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70$1.70
$0.36฿11.75
372.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.07$6.07
$2.43฿78.8
149.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.90$6.90
$3.63฿118
90.08%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Rutland, VT
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.92$0.92
$2.19฿71.1
-57.99%
White Bread(500g)
$3.35$3.35
$1.81฿59.0
85.08%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.74$5.74
$2.23฿72.5
157.40%
Eggs
$3.83$3.83
$2.24฿72.7
70.98%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.31$19.31
$19.60฿637
-1.48%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.97$13.97
$3.72฿121
275.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.17$19.17
$13.47฿438
42.32%
Apples(1kg)
$3.90$3.90
$3.36฿109
16.07%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46$1.46
$1.62฿52.5
-9.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.91$3.91
$2.41฿78.3
62.24%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.06$4.06
$1.99฿64.6
104.02%
Potato(1kg)
$3.29$3.29
$1.53฿49.76
115.03%
Onion(1kg)
$2.55$2.55
$1.45฿47.19
75.86%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.86$1.86
$1.01฿32.96
84.16%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.66$1.66
$0.48฿15.73
245.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.77$12.77
$4.27฿139
199.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.18$9.18
$19.12฿621
-51.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74$1.74
$1.84฿59.7
-5.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.31$3.31
$2.74฿89.1
20.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Rutland, VT
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.01$2.01
$1.42฿46.06
41.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.72฿381
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.86$4.86
$3.00฿97.6
62.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.43$1.43
$1.05฿34.00
36.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.87$14.87
$13.90฿452
6.98%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.84$0.84
$1.29฿41.94
-34.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.8K$17.8K
$28.0K฿911.1K
-36.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.3K$21.3K
$33.5K฿1.1M
-36.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Rutland, VT
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$192$192
$122฿3,964
57.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.5$52.5
$13.93฿453
276.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.2$67.2
$18.87฿613
256.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Rutland, VT
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.19$43.19
$61.3฿1,992
-29.52%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿547
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.77$14.77
$8.89฿289
66.14%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Rutland, VT
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,729$1,729
$691฿22.5K
150.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$30.0K$30.0K
$16.2K฿525.2K
85.95%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Rutland, VT
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.33$47.33
$57.8฿1,878
-18.10%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.13$34.13
$35.39฿1,150
-3.56%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$87.3$87.3
$113฿3,685
-23.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$163$163
$83.0฿2,698
95.99%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Rutland, VT
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,627$1,627
$607฿19.7K
168.17%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,376$1,376
$448฿14.6K
207.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,451$2,451
$2,029฿66.0K
20.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,976$2,976
$1,493฿48.5K
99.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,585฿116.5K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,585฿84.0K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Rutland, VT
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,984$3,984
$505฿16.4K
689.27%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.6
5.33
23.83%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Rutland, VT: June 14, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,627 in Rutland, VT and $607 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Rutland, VT pays 689% 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 Rutland, VT vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $292 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
Rutland, VT vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Rutland, VT?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Rutland, VT or Phuket?
Rutland, VT pays 689% 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 Rutland, VT and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,627 in Rutland, VT versus $607 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,729 in Rutland, VT versus $691 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Rutland, VT or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $65.0 in Rutland, VT. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Rutland, VT or Phuket?
At $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,622 in Rutland, VT, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rutland, VT. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Rutland, VT or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Rutland, VT, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Rutland, VT or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Rutland, VT 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 114% less than in Rutland, VT. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Rutland, VT vs other spots: cost of living compared