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: $2,870 in Show Low, AZ versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,926 in Show Low, AZ versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,982 in Show Low, AZ versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Show Low, AZ is roughly 128% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Show Low, AZ is 114% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.68 $17.68

$4.56 ฿149

287.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.1 $79.1

$46.63 ฿1,519

69.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$18.14 $18.14

$8.47 ฿276

114.17%

Cappuccino

$5.91 $5.91

$3.03 ฿98.6

95.05%

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

$3.44 $3.44

$0.69 ฿22.45

398.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$0.37 ฿11.92

624.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 $6.17

$2.49 ฿81.0

147.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$3.66 ฿119

94.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$2.18 ฿71.0

-34.86%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.90 ฿62.0

130.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.20 ฿71.6

95.91%

Eggs

$4.29 $4.29

$2.22 ฿72.4

93.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.49 $12.49

$19.99 ฿651

-37.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.63 $11.63

$3.66 ฿119

217.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.73 $15.73

$13.25 ฿432

18.72%

Apples (1kg)

$4.89 $4.89

$3.23 ฿105

51.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.70 ฿55.3

-3.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.16 $4.16

$2.39 ฿78.0

74.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.08 ฿67.7

131.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.59 ฿51.8

80.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.48 ฿48.31

97.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.03 ฿33.54

89.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.52 ฿16.83

323.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.69 $9.69

$4.25 ฿138

128.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.74 $14.74

$18.79 ฿612

-21.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.76 ฿57.2

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.76 ฿89.8

24.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.36 ฿44.32

44.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.14 ฿102

13.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.04 ฿33.74

53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.75 $29.75

$13.77 ฿448

116.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.34 ฿43.79

-38.81%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

5.21%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-24.69%

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

$184 $184

$124 ฿4,025

48.75%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$13.52 ฿440

284.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$99.9 $99.9

$18.69 ฿609

434.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.63 $44.63

$61.8 ฿2,013

-27.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.03 $9.03

$9.14 ฿298

-1.20%

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

$1,291 $1,291

$703 ฿22.9K

83.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

48.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.06 $49.06

$59.5 ฿1,937

-17.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.52 $39.52

$35.07 ฿1,142

12.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 $89.8

$115 ฿3,754

-22.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$84.1 ฿2,737

24.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 $1,473

$619 ฿20.1K

138.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,576 $1,576

$433 ฿14.1K

264.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$2,062 ฿67.2K

22.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,208 $2,208

$1,511 ฿49.2K

46.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,891 $2,891

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-20.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,489 $2,489

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-5.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,473 in Show Low, AZ and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Show Low, AZ vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $404 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

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 128% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $4,305 in Show Low, AZ and $1,892 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: $1,473 in Show Low, AZ versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,291 in Show Low, AZ versus $703 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 $47.00 versus $79.0 in Show Low, AZ. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,870 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 128% less than in Show Low, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.