๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,443 in Tualatin, OR versus $1,270 in Phuket.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,602 in Tualatin, OR versus $2,304 in Phuket.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,760 in Tualatin, OR versus $3,339 in Phuket.
๐Living in Tualatin, OR is roughly 92% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Tualatin, OR is 82% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$18.26$18.26
$4.66เธฟ150
291.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.5$73.5
$46.44เธฟ1,496
58.27%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.84$9.84
$8.68เธฟ280
13.36%
Cappuccino
$4.82$4.82
$2.95เธฟ95.0
63.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.50$2.50
$0.70เธฟ22.52
257.14%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.92$1.92
$0.39เธฟ12.70
392.31%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.89$5.89
$2.53เธฟ81.6
132.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.88$5.88
$3.78เธฟ122
55.56%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.01$1.01
$2.22เธฟ71.5
-54.50%
White Bread(500g)
$3.77$3.77
$1.80เธฟ57.8
109.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.28$4.28
$2.19เธฟ70.4
95.43%
Eggs
$3.90$3.90
$2.31เธฟ74.5
68.83%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.68$13.68
$19.34เธฟ623
-29.27%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.62$11.62
$3.77เธฟ121
208.22%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.07$15.07
$13.22เธฟ426
13.99%
Apples(1kg)
$4.24$4.24
$3.33เธฟ107
27.33%
Banana(1kg)
$1.55$1.55
$1.65เธฟ53.1
-6.06%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.82$3.82
$2.29เธฟ73.7
66.81%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.65$3.65
$1.99เธฟ64.1
83.42%
Potato(1kg)
$2.11$2.11
$1.53เธฟ49.24
37.91%
Onion(1kg)
$1.97$1.97
$1.51เธฟ48.77
30.46%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.99$1.99
$1.03เธฟ33.12
93.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.69$1.69
$0.51เธฟ16.57
231.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.90$10.90
$4.41เธฟ142
147.17%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.49$13.49
$19.41เธฟ625
-30.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.70$1.70
$1.80เธฟ58.0
-5.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.60$3.60
$2.68เธฟ86.4
34.33%
๐ Getting Around
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.98$1.98
$1.43เธฟ46.11
38.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70เธฟ377
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.77$3.77
$3.04เธฟ97.9
24.01%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.64$1.64
$1.04เธฟ33.37
57.69%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.47$29.47
$13.68เธฟ441
115.42%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.02$1.02
$1.30เธฟ41.85
-21.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.6K$33.6K
$27.9Kเธฟ898.9K
20.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K$25.8K
$33.0Kเธฟ1.1M
-21.85%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125$125
$123เธฟ3,962
1.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$51.0$51.0
$13.82เธฟ445
269.32%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$59.1$59.1
$18.86เธฟ608
213.47%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.22$42.22
$61.2เธฟ1,970
-30.96%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.81เธฟ541
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.95$12.95
$8.87เธฟ286
46.00%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,470$1,470
$696เธฟ22.4K
111.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.2K$12.2K
$16.1Kเธฟ517.4K
-24.17%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.2$57.2
$59.3เธฟ1,910
-3.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.66$46.66
$34.85เธฟ1,123
33.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$103$103
$113เธฟ3,646
-8.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$115$115
$85.1เธฟ2,740
34.71%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,629$1,629
$615เธฟ19.8K
164.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,332$1,332
$448เธฟ14.4K
197.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,680$2,680
$2,085เธฟ67.2K
28.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,212$2,212
$1,496เธฟ48.2K
47.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,951$2,951
$3,734เธฟ120.3K
-20.97%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,706$2,706
$2,662เธฟ85.8K
1.68%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,988$3,988
$534เธฟ17.2K
647.37%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.41
5.33
20.26%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tualatin, OR: April 22, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,629 in Tualatin, OR and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐTualatin, OR pays 647% 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: $74 in Tualatin, OR vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $370 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
Tualatin, OR vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Tualatin, OR?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tualatin, OR or Phuket?
Tualatin, OR pays 647% 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 Tualatin, OR and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,629 in Tualatin, OR 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 $1,470 in Tualatin, OR versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Tualatin, OR or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket โ a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $74.0 in Tualatin, OR. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Tualatin, OR or Phuket?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,443 in Tualatin, OR, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tualatin, OR. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Tualatin, OR or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tualatin, OR, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Tualatin, OR or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Tualatin, 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 โ expenses run 92% less than in Tualatin, OR. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Tualatin, OR vs other spots: cost of living compared