😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,662 in The Dalles, OR versus $1,264 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,880 in The Dalles, OR versus $2,256 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,097 in The Dalles, OR versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in The Dalles, OR is roughly 111% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: The Dalles, OR is 100% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
The Dalles, OR
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$26.99$26.99
$4.48฿150
502.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.2$71.2
$45.59฿1,525
56.22%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.80$11.80
$8.76฿293
34.70%
Cappuccino
$6.11$6.11
$2.97฿99.3
105.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.37$3.37
$0.69฿22.96
388.41%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73$2.73
$0.39฿13.07
600.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$6.80$6.80
$2.53฿84.7
168.77%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.06$6.06
$3.75฿125
61.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
The Dalles, OR
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.00$1.00
$2.15฿71.8
-53.49%
White Bread(500g)
$3.39$3.39
$1.82฿60.7
86.26%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.22$4.22
$2.18฿73.1
93.58%
Eggs
$2.95$2.95
$2.25฿75.2
31.11%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.46$17.46
$20.00฿669
-12.70%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.36$10.36
$3.63฿121
185.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.84$10.84
$13.56฿453
-20.06%
Apples(1kg)
$6.69$6.69
$3.24฿109
106.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.59$1.59
$1.64฿54.7
-3.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.19$4.19
$2.33฿78.0
79.83%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.32$4.32
$2.07฿69.3
108.70%
Potato(1kg)
$3.02$3.02
$1.55฿51.8
94.84%
Onion(1kg)
$2.77$2.77
$1.46฿48.67
89.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.55$2.55
$0.98฿32.94
160.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.98$1.98
$0.48฿16.13
312.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.31$12.31
$4.35฿146
182.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.98$14.98
$18.57฿621
-19.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.97$1.97
$1.86฿62.1
5.91%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.74$4.74
$2.65฿88.8
78.87%
🚌 Getting Around
The Dalles, OR
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.04$2.04
$1.42฿47.40
43.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.26$45.26
$11.57฿387
291.18%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.88$4.88
$3.17฿106
53.94%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.27$1.27
$1.03฿34.51
23.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$52.9$52.9
$13.89฿465
280.85%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.13$1.13
$1.34฿44.96
-15.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.5K$35.5K
$27.8K฿929.6K
27.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K$26.2K
$33.4K฿1.1M
-21.39%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
The Dalles, OR
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$124$124
$123฿4,116
1.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$60.8$60.8
$13.77฿461
341.54%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$70.5$70.5
$18.33฿613
284.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
The Dalles, OR
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.20$43.20
$60.7฿2,030
-28.82%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.16฿574
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.84$10.84
$8.87฿297
22.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
The Dalles, OR
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$998$998
$688฿23.0K
45.12%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.8K$23.8K
$15.8K฿527.8K
50.56%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
The Dalles, OR
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$40.64$40.64
$59.3฿1,984
-31.47%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.86$34.86
$34.69฿1,160
0.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$60.0$60.0
$115฿3,853
-47.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.1$81.1
$83.8฿2,802
-3.22%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
The Dalles, OR
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,572$1,572
$621฿20.8K
153.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,359$1,359
$446฿14.9K
204.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,645$2,645
$2,034฿68.0K
30.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,260$2,260
$1,496฿50.0K
51.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,901$2,901
$3,455฿115.6K
-16.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,268$2,268
$2,531฿84.7K
-10.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
The Dalles, OR
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.66
5.33
24.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for The Dalles, OR: July 28, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,572 in The Dalles, OR and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $71.0 in The Dalles, OR vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 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
The Dalles, OR vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than The Dalles, OR?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 111% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,994 in The Dalles, OR and $1,896 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.
What is the rent difference between The Dalles, OR and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,572 in The Dalles, OR versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $998 in The Dalles, OR versus $688 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 The Dalles, OR and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in The Dalles, OR. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in The Dalles, OR or in Phuket?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,662 in The Dalles, OR, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in The Dalles, OR. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is The Dalles, OR or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in The Dalles, OR, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, The Dalles, OR or Phuket?
Safety-wise, The Dalles, OR 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 111% less than in The Dalles, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
The Dalles, OR vs other spots: cost of living compared