Cost of Living Comparison Between Tracy, CA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Tracy, CA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,298 in Tracy, CA versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,587 in Tracy, CA versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,875 in Tracy, CA versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Tracy, CA is roughly 83% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Tracy, CA is 67% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.78 $19.78

$4.56 ฿151

333.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.6 $50.6

$32.62 ฿1,082

55.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.06 $10.06

$8.90 ฿295

13.03%

Cappuccino

$4.40 $4.40

$2.80 ฿93.0

57.14%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$0.88 ฿29.19

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$0.49 ฿16.23

277.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.39 ฿79.2

156.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 $7.31

$3.71 ฿123

97.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.79 ฿59.3

-27.93%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$1.44 ฿47.81

188.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$1.58 ฿52.6

246.20%

Eggs

$3.34 $3.34

$2.13 ฿70.5

56.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.87 $15.87

$19.92 ฿661

-20.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.04 $11.04

$3.43 ฿114

221.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.65 $15.65

$11.33 ฿376

38.13%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.95 ฿97.8

52.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.72 ฿57.1

25.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.32 ฿77.1

88.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.08 ฿69.0

115.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.47 ฿48.77

52.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.36 ฿45.05

136.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.10 ฿36.45

80.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.57 ฿19.06

259.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.56 $11.56

$4.27 ฿142

170.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.89 $12.89

$18.42 ฿611

-30.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.87 ฿62.1

8.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$2.92 ฿96.9

-6.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 $65.2

$22.90 ฿759

184.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.03 ฿101

-16.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.07 ฿35.63

70.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.65 $29.65

$3.93 ฿130

654.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.49 ฿49.49

-7.38%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.1K ฿899.8K

35.50%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$27.5K ฿910.6K

-4.84%

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

$181 $181

$103 ฿3,410

76.09%

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

$49.07 $49.07

$10.99 ฿365

346.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.2 $76.2

$17.51 ฿581

335.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,776

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿371

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 $15.20

$7.48 ฿248

103.21%

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

$2,405 $2,405

$557 ฿18.5K

331.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.3K $35.3K

$11.9K ฿393.2K

197.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.6 $72.6

$64.1 ฿2,125

13.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.2 $72.2

$29.07 ฿964

148.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.8 $94.8

$96.0 ฿3,183

-1.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$239 $239

$90.3 ฿2,997

164.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,820 $1,820

$730 ฿24.2K

149.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$995 $995

$500 ฿16.6K

99.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿69.3K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,814 $3,814

$3,596 ฿119.3K

6.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿83.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,760 $5,760

$503 ฿16.7K

1044.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.07

5.57

8.98%

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

Last update for Tracy, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,820 in Tracy, CA and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tracy, CA pays 1044% 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: $51.0 in Tracy, CA vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $402 vs $273 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

Tracy, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1044% higher in Tracy, CA, 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: $1,820 in Tracy, CA versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,405 in Tracy, CA versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Tracy, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,298 in Tracy, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tracy, CA. 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 Tracy, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Tracy, CA 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 83% less than in Tracy, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.