๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,966 in Texas City, TX versus $1,270 in Phuket.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,661 in Texas City, TX versus $2,304 in Phuket.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,356 in Texas City, TX versus $3,339 in Phuket.
๐Living in Texas City, TX is roughly 55% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Texas City, TX is 47% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Texas City, TX
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.07$18.07
$4.66เธฟ150
287.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$59.2$59.2
$46.44เธฟ1,496
27.37%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.98$9.98
$8.68เธฟ280
14.98%
Cappuccino
$3.94$3.94
$2.95เธฟ95.0
33.56%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.33$1.33
$0.70เธฟ22.52
90.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89$1.89
$0.39เธฟ12.70
384.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.87$4.87
$2.53เธฟ81.6
92.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.19$7.19
$3.78เธฟ122
90.21%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Texas City, TX
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.74$0.74
$2.22เธฟ71.5
-66.67%
White Bread(500g)
$2.67$2.67
$1.80เธฟ57.8
48.33%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.46$3.46
$2.19เธฟ70.4
57.99%
Eggs
$3.97$3.97
$2.31เธฟ74.5
71.86%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$6.43$6.43
$19.34เธฟ623
-66.75%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.68$10.68
$3.77เธฟ121
183.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.57$10.57
$13.22เธฟ426
-20.05%
Apples(1kg)
$4.82$4.82
$3.33เธฟ107
44.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.56$1.56
$1.65เธฟ53.1
-5.45%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.36$4.36
$2.29เธฟ73.7
90.39%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.11$4.11
$1.99เธฟ64.1
106.53%
Potato(1kg)
$2.84$2.84
$1.53เธฟ49.24
85.62%
Onion(1kg)
$2.76$2.76
$1.51เธฟ48.77
82.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.97$1.97
$1.03เธฟ33.12
91.26%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.19$2.19
$0.51เธฟ16.57
329.41%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.98$7.98
$4.41เธฟ142
80.95%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.71$9.71
$19.41เธฟ625
-49.97%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.36$2.36
$1.80เธฟ58.0
31.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58$3.58
$2.68เธฟ86.4
33.58%
๐ Getting Around
Texas City, TX
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.98$0.98
$1.43เธฟ46.11
-31.47%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$39.86$39.86
$11.70เธฟ377
240.68%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.28$4.28
$3.04เธฟ97.9
40.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.74$1.74
$1.04เธฟ33.37
67.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$20.19$20.19
$13.68เธฟ441
47.59%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.68$0.68
$1.30เธฟ41.85
-47.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.2K$25.2K
$27.9Kเธฟ898.9K
-9.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.9K$25.9K
$33.0Kเธฟ1.1M
-21.61%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Texas City, TX
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$177$177
$123เธฟ3,962
43.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$25.42$25.42
$13.82เธฟ445
83.94%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.8$65.8
$18.86เธฟ608
248.89%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Texas City, TX
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$15.21$15.21
$61.2เธฟ1,970
-75.13%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.81เธฟ541
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.10$15.10
$8.87เธฟ286
70.24%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Texas City, TX
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,202$1,202
$696เธฟ22.4K
72.66%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$21.7K$21.7K
$16.1Kเธฟ517.4K
35.03%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Texas City, TX
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.7$55.7
$59.3เธฟ1,910
-6.09%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.22$46.22
$34.85เธฟ1,123
32.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$64.8$64.8
$113เธฟ3,646
-42.78%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119$119
$85.1เธฟ2,740
40.27%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Texas City, TX
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,080$1,080
$615เธฟ19.8K
75.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$861$861
$448เธฟ14.4K
91.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,509$1,509
$2,085เธฟ67.2K
-27.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$981$981
$1,496เธฟ48.2K
-34.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$9,357$9,357
$3,734เธฟ120.3K
150.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$7,743$7,743
$2,662เธฟ85.8K
190.90%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Texas City, TX
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,643$4,643
$534เธฟ17.2K
770.24%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.45
5.33
21.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Texas City, TX: April 22, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,080 in Texas City, TX and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐTexas City, TX pays 770% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $59 in Texas City, TX vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $326 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
Texas City, TX vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Texas City, TX?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Texas City, TX or Phuket?
Texas City, TX pays 770% more on average, 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 Texas City, TX and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,080 in Texas City, TX versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,202 in Texas City, TX versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Texas City, TX and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Texas City, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Texas City, TX or Phuket?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $1,966 in Texas City, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Texas City, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Texas City, TX or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Texas City, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Texas City, TX or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Texas City, TX 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 โ expenses run 55% less than in Texas City, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Texas City, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared