Cost of Living Comparison Between South Portland, ME and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between South Portland, ME and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,053 in South Portland, ME versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,502 in South Portland, ME versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,951 in South Portland, ME versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in South Portland, ME is roughly 141% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: South Portland, ME is 121% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.83 $24.83

$4.66 ฿154

432.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$120 $120

$32.22 ฿1,065

271.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.77 $14.77

$8.68 ฿287

70.16%

Cappuccino

$5.30 $5.30

$2.90 ฿95.8

82.76%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$0.84 ฿27.89

263.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$0.49 ฿16.16

391.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.09 $8.09

$2.48 ฿82.0

226.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.24 $8.24

$3.73 ฿123

120.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.89 ฿62.3

-47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.41 ฿46.54

205.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$1.62 ฿53.6

301.23%

Eggs

$4.06 $4.06

$2.24 ฿74.1

81.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.13 $15.13

$19.84 ฿656

-23.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.13 $10.13

$3.48 ฿115

191.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.41 $16.41

$11.37 ฿376

44.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.99 $4.99

$2.90 ฿95.8

72.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.72 ฿57.0

-3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$2.27 ฿75.1

147.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.06 $7.06

$2.13 ฿70.4

231.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.47 ฿48.72

154.42%

Onion (1kg)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.42 ฿46.92

168.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.10 ฿36.25

152.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$0.60 ฿19.76

315.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.16 $11.16

$4.31 ฿142

158.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$18.60 ฿615

-20.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.80 ฿59.5

5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.97 ฿98.0

-7.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.25 ฿74.2

-10.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.10 ฿102

-33.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.08 ฿35.56

42.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.17 $11.17

$3.87 ฿128

188.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.43 ฿47.16

-23.78%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

31.21%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-4.13%

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

$255 $255

$105 ฿3,462

143.38%

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

$68.9 $68.9

$11.39 ฿376

505.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.1 $78.1

$17.54 ฿580

345.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.3 $60.3

$54.3 ฿1,795

10.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.17 $30.17

$11.44 ฿378

163.72%

Cinema Ticket

$14.79 $14.79

$7.78 ฿257

90.10%

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

$406 $406

$576 ฿19.0K

-29.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K $15.2K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

31.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.6 $52.6

$63.6 ฿2,103

-17.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.33 $48.33

$29.10 ฿961

66.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$96.2 ฿3,179

6.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$90.0 ฿2,974

47.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,972 $1,972

$733 ฿24.2K

168.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,546 $1,546

$501 ฿16.5K

208.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,186 $3,186

$2,126 ฿70.2K

49.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,630 $2,630

$1,252 ฿41.4K

110.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 $2,729

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-22.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,366 $2,366

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-9.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,321 $4,321

$508 ฿16.8K

751.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.28

5.57

12.75%

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

Last update for South Portland, ME: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,972 in South Portland, ME and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

South Portland, ME pays 751% 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: $120 in South Portland, ME vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $438 vs $275 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

South Portland, ME vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 141% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 751% higher in South Portland, ME, 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: $1,972 in South Portland, ME versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $406 in South Portland, ME versus $576 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 $120 in South Portland, ME. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $3,053 in South Portland, ME, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in South Portland, ME. 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 South Portland, ME, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, South Portland, ME 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 141% less than in South Portland, ME. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.