😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,428 in Tualatin, OR versus $1,253 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,650 in Tualatin, OR versus $2,043 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,873 in Tualatin, OR versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Tualatin, OR is roughly 94% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Tualatin, OR is 77% above, Phuket is 9% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.65$17.65
$4.56฿150
287.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$75.9$75.9
$32.62฿1,072
132.77%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.22$11.22
$8.90฿293
26.07%
Cappuccino
$5.09$5.09
$2.80฿92.2
81.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48$2.48
$0.88฿28.93
181.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96$1.96
$0.49฿16.08
300.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.92$5.92
$2.39฿78.5
147.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.09$6.09
$3.71฿122
64.15%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06$1.06
$1.79฿58.7
-40.78%
White Bread(500g)
$4.01$4.01
$1.44฿47.38
178.47%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.71$4.71
$1.58฿52.1
198.10%
Eggs
$3.84$3.84
$2.13฿69.9
80.28%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.03$10.03
$19.92฿655
-49.65%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$13.86$13.86
$3.43฿113
304.08%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$19.53$19.53
$11.33฿372
72.37%
Apples(1kg)
$3.70$3.70
$2.95฿96.9
25.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61$1.61
$1.72฿56.6
-6.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.74$3.74
$2.32฿76.4
61.21%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.32$3.32
$2.08฿68.4
59.62%
Potato(1kg)
$2.14$2.14
$1.47฿48.33
45.58%
Onion(1kg)
$2.08$2.08
$1.36฿44.64
52.94%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.92$1.92
$1.10฿36.12
74.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94$1.94
$0.57฿18.89
240.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.99$10.99
$4.27฿140
157.38%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.35$13.35
$18.42฿605
-27.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76$1.76
$1.87฿61.5
-5.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.43$3.43
$2.92฿96.0
17.47%
🚌 Getting Around
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.74$1.74
$2.22฿72.9
-21.62%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.90฿753
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.89$4.89
$3.03฿99.6
61.39%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.34$1.34
$1.07฿35.31
25.23%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$24.20$24.20
$3.93฿129
515.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29$1.29
$1.49฿49.04
-13.42%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.6K$33.6K
$27.1K฿891.7K
23.68%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.1K$24.1K
$27.5K฿902.3K
-12.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$146$146
$103฿3,379
42.01%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$45.44$45.44
$10.99฿361
313.47%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.0$65.0
$17.51฿576
271.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$45.44$45.44
$53.5฿1,760
-15.11%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.20฿368
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.16$14.16
$7.48฿246
89.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,239$1,239
$557฿18.3K
122.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$12.0K$12.0K
$11.9K฿389.6K
1.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5$59.5
$64.1฿2,106
-7.09%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.30$45.30
$29.07฿956
55.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$99.9$99.9
$96.0฿3,154
4.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129$129
$90.3฿2,970
43.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,603$1,603
$730฿24.0K
119.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,284$1,284
$500฿16.4K
156.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,458$2,458
$2,090฿68.7K
17.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,178$2,178
$1,209฿39.7K
80.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,790$2,790
$3,596฿118.2K
-22.42%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,459$2,459
$2,512฿82.6K
-2.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tualatin, OR
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,028$4,028
$503฿16.5K
700.15%
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 Tualatin, OR: August 30, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,603 in Tualatin, OR and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Tualatin, OR pays 700% 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: $76.0 in Tualatin, OR vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $386 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
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, Sport & Entertainment. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tualatin, OR or Phuket?
Average pay runs 700% higher in Tualatin, OR, 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: $1,603 in Tualatin, OR versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,239 in Tualatin, OR versus $557 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 in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $76.0 in Tualatin, OR. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Tualatin, OR or in Phuket?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,428 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 – expenses run 94% 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