Cost of Living Comparison Between Show Low, AZ and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Show Low, AZ and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,865 in Show Low, AZ versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,927 in Show Low, AZ versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,990 in Show Low, AZ versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Show Low, AZ is roughly 126% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Show Low, AZ is 114% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 $17.68

$4.66 ฿150

279.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 $78.5

$46.44 ฿1,496

69.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.21 $18.21

$8.68 ฿280

109.79%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$2.95 ฿95.0

105.76%

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

$3.51 $3.51

$0.70 ฿22.52

401.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$0.39 ฿12.70

594.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$2.53 ฿81.6

135.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 $6.89

$3.78 ฿122

82.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.22 ฿71.5

-33.78%

White Bread (500g)

$4.45 $4.45

$1.80 ฿57.8

147.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.19 ฿70.4

93.15%

Eggs

$4.22 $4.22

$2.31 ฿74.5

82.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 $12.20

$19.34 ฿623

-36.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.35 $11.35

$3.77 ฿121

201.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.55 $15.55

$13.22 ฿426

17.62%

Apples (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.33 ฿107

48.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.65 ฿53.1

-4.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.29 ฿73.7

90.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$1.99 ฿64.1

139.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.53 ฿49.24

90.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.51 ฿48.77

84.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.03 ฿33.12

98.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$0.51 ฿16.57

309.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.52 $9.52

$4.41 ฿142

115.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$19.41 ฿625

-23.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.80 ฿58.0

3.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.68 ฿86.4

27.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.43 ฿46.11

43.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$3.04 ฿97.9

12.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.04 ฿33.37

50.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.35 $29.35

$13.68 ฿441

114.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.30 ฿41.85

-33.85%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

7.78%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-23.18%

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

$188 $188

$123 ฿3,962

52.66%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$13.82 ฿445

287.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$100 $100

$18.86 ฿608

431.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.72 $43.72

$61.2 ฿1,970

-28.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 $8.87

$8.87 ฿286

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

$1,306 $1,306

$696 ฿22.4K

87.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

43.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.32 $49.32

$59.3 ฿1,910

-16.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.28 $40.28

$34.85 ฿1,123

15.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

$113 ฿3,646

-19.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$85.1 ฿2,740

21.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,518 $1,518

$615 ฿19.8K

146.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,590 $1,590

$448 ฿14.4K

254.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,459 $2,459

$2,085 ฿67.2K

17.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 $2,241

$1,496 ฿48.2K

49.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,910 $2,910

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-22.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,507 $2,507

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-5.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.33

22.14%

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

Last update for Show Low, AZ: April 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,518 in Show Low, AZ and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79 in Show Low, AZ vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $291 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

Show Low, AZ vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 126% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,297 in Show Low, AZ and $1,904 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,518 in Show Low, AZ versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,306 in Show Low, AZ versus $696 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 $46.00 versus $79.0 in Show Low, AZ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,865 in Show Low, AZ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Show Low, AZ. 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 Show Low, AZ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Show Low, AZ 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 126% less than in Show Low, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.