😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,600 in Silver City, NM versus $1,250 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,736 in Silver City, NM versus $2,284 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,873 in Silver City, NM versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Silver City, NM is roughly 108% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Silver City, NM is 95% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Silver City, NM
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.78$17.78
$4.55฿153
290.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$57.0$57.0
$46.18฿1,553
23.45%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.91$11.91
$8.84฿297
34.73%
Cappuccino
$5.03$5.03
$3.06฿103
64.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81$2.81
$0.73฿24.40
284.93%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.42$1.42
$0.40฿13.39
255.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.32$5.32
$2.43฿81.8
118.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.80$5.80
$3.78฿127
53.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Silver City, NM
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.86$0.86
$2.26฿76.0
-61.95%
White Bread(500g)
$3.23$3.23
$1.81฿60.9
78.45%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.10$5.10
$2.25฿75.8
126.67%
Eggs
$4.34$4.34
$2.25฿75.5
92.89%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.82$10.82
$19.51฿656
-44.54%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.86$10.86
$3.65฿123
197.53%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.18$15.18
$13.05฿439
16.32%
Apples(1kg)
$4.37$4.37
$3.23฿109
35.29%
Banana(1kg)
$1.91$1.91
$1.62฿54.4
17.90%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.94$3.94
$2.38฿80.1
65.55%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.24$4.24
$2.03฿68.1
108.87%
Potato(1kg)
$2.47$2.47
$1.53฿51.6
61.44%
Onion(1kg)
$2.50$2.50
$1.50฿50.5
66.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.94$1.94
$0.98฿32.91
97.96%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.50$1.50
$0.52฿17.39
188.46%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.43$9.43
$4.44฿149
112.39%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.31$13.31
$18.32฿616
-27.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.09$2.09
$1.86฿62.7
12.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.50$3.50
$2.68฿90.1
30.60%
🚌 Getting Around
Silver City, NM
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.97$1.97
$1.41฿47.46
39.72%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70฿393
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.72$2.72
$3.11฿105
-12.54%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.33$1.33
$1.04฿35.06
27.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$35.99$35.99
$14.11฿474
155.07%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.94$0.94
$1.31฿44.10
-28.24%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.5K$31.5K
$27.8K฿935.4K
13.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.3K$22.3K
$33.2K฿1.1M
-32.82%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Silver City, NM
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$269$269
$122฿4,118
120.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.4$69.4
$13.59฿457
410.30%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.7$70.7
$18.70฿629
277.86%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Silver City, NM
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.75$42.75
$60.5฿2,034
-29.33%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.98฿571
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.80$12.80
$9.07฿305
41.12%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Silver City, NM
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,086$1,086
$706฿23.8K
53.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K$15.7K
$15.8K฿531.5K
-0.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Silver City, NM
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.7$51.7
$58.6฿1,969
-11.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.61$39.61
$35.36฿1,189
12.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.1$83.1
$115฿3,883
-28.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$106$106
$83.7฿2,816
26.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Silver City, NM
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$988$988
$626฿21.0K
58.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,379$1,379
$445฿15.0K
209.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,735$1,735
$2,040฿68.6K
-14.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,223$2,223
$1,492฿50.2K
48.96%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,959$1,959
$3,483฿117.1K
-43.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,917$1,917
$2,577฿86.7K
-25.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Silver City, NM
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,970$2,970
$500฿16.8K
494.10%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.54
5.33
22.70%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Silver City, NM: July 12, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $988 in Silver City, NM and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Silver City, NM pays 494% 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: $57.0 in Silver City, NM vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 vs $289 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
Silver City, NM vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Silver City, NM?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Silver City, NM or Phuket?
Average pay runs 494% higher in Silver City, NM, 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 Silver City, NM and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $988 in Silver City, NM versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,086 in Silver City, NM versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Silver City, NM or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $57.0 in Silver City, NM. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Silver City, NM or in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,600 in Silver City, NM, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Silver City, NM. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Silver City, NM or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Silver City, NM, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Silver City, NM or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Silver City, NM 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 108% less than in Silver City, NM. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Silver City, NM vs other spots: cost of living compared