Cost of Living Comparison Between Staunton, VA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Staunton, VA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,135 in Staunton, VA versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,624 in Staunton, VA versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,113 in Staunton, VA versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Staunton, VA is roughly 69% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Staunton, VA is 60% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$4.48 ฿150

343.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.3 $79.3

$45.59 ฿1,521

73.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 $12.20

$8.76 ฿292

39.27%

Cappuccino

$5.89 $5.89

$2.97 ฿99.0

98.32%

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

$3.11 $3.11

$0.69 ฿22.90

350.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.39 ฿13.04

558.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.53 ฿84.4

56.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 $5.66

$3.75 ฿125

50.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$2.15 ฿71.6

-48.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 $3.23

$1.82 ฿60.6

77.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.10 $7.10

$2.18 ฿72.9

225.69%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$2.25 ฿75.0

96.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.45 $11.45

$20.00 ฿667

-42.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.26 $15.26

$3.63 ฿121

320.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.50 $15.50

$13.56 ฿452

14.31%

Apples (1kg)

$6.21 $6.21

$3.24 ฿108

91.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.64 ฿54.6

-9.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.33 ฿77.8

117.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.53 $6.53

$2.07 ฿69.1

215.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.51 $3.51

$1.55 ฿51.6

126.45%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.46 ฿48.54

161.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.98 ฿32.86

106.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.48 ฿16.09

433.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.29 $9.29

$4.35 ฿145

113.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.80 $15.80

$18.57 ฿620

-14.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.86 ฿61.9

56.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.65 ฿88.6

74.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.42 ฿47.28

42.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.17 ฿106

26.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.03 ฿34.41

143.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.83 $29.83

$13.89 ฿463

114.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.34 ฿44.84

-41.79%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

6.57%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-23.63%

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

$178 $178

$123 ฿4,105

44.47%

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

$59.3 $59.3

$13.77 ฿459

330.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.54 $30.54

$18.33 ฿611

66.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.79 $44.79

$60.7 ฿2,025

-26.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$13.46 $13.46

$8.87 ฿296

51.75%

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

$2,694 $2,694

$688 ฿22.9K

291.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.9K $40.9K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

159.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 $80.5

$59.3 ฿1,978

35.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.80 $49.80

$34.69 ฿1,157

43.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$115 ฿3,843

-12.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$83.8 ฿2,794

71.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,385 $1,385

$621 ฿20.7K

122.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$858 $858

$446 ฿14.9K

92.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,620 $2,620

$2,034 ฿67.8K

28.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,236 $2,236

$1,496 ฿49.9K

49.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,265 $2,265

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-34.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,252 $2,252

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-11.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,214 $4,214

$494 ฿16.5K

753.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.48

5.33

21.58%

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

Last update for Staunton, VA: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,385 in Staunton, VA and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Staunton, VA pays 754% 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: $79.0 in Staunton, VA vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $452 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

Staunton, VA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 754% higher in Staunton, VA, 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: $1,385 in Staunton, VA versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,694 in Staunton, VA versus $688 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 Staunton, VA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,135 in Staunton, VA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Staunton, VA. 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 Staunton, VA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Staunton, VA 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 69% less than in Staunton, VA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.