ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $2,175 in Tulsa, OK versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $3,234 in Tulsa, OK versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,293 in Tulsa, OK versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Tulsa, OK is roughly 77% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Tulsa, OK is 62% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.95$16.95
$4.63āļŋ151
266.09%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.7$69.7
$46.84āļŋ1,523
48.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.15$10.15
$8.84āļŋ287
14.82%
Cappuccino
$4.99$4.99
$3.00āļŋ97.4
66.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62$2.62
$0.74āļŋ24.11
254.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.76$1.76
$0.37āļŋ11.88
375.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.97$4.97
$2.44āļŋ79.3
103.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.32$6.32
$3.61āļŋ117
75.07%
ð Groceries & Markets
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.08$1.08
$2.26āļŋ73.5
-52.21%
White Bread(500g)
$3.79$3.79
$1.84āļŋ59.8
105.98%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.80$5.80
$2.24āļŋ73.0
158.93%
Eggs
$3.53$3.53
$2.32āļŋ75.3
52.16%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.05$11.05
$19.67āļŋ639
-43.82%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.24$11.24
$3.65āļŋ119
207.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.82$14.82
$13.10āļŋ426
13.13%
Apples(1kg)
$4.04$4.04
$3.39āļŋ110
19.17%
Banana(1kg)
$1.81$1.81
$1.64āļŋ53.4
10.37%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.76$3.76
$2.41āļŋ78.5
56.02%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.10$4.10
$2.03āļŋ66.0
101.97%
Potato(1kg)
$2.62$2.62
$1.56āļŋ50.6
67.95%
Onion(1kg)
$3.18$3.18
$1.50āļŋ48.66
112.00%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.80$1.80
$1.02āļŋ33.30
76.47%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.08$2.08
$0.49āļŋ15.91
324.49%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.58$9.58
$4.45āļŋ145
115.28%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.11$12.11
$18.88āļŋ614
-35.86%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77$1.77
$1.78āļŋ57.7
-0.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.67$3.67
$2.75āļŋ89.5
33.45%
ð Getting Around
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.78$1.78
$1.40āļŋ45.54
27.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$44.67$44.67
$11.48āļŋ373
289.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.05$2.05
$3.12āļŋ101
-34.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.21$1.21
$1.00āļŋ32.48
21.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$30.08$30.08
$14.09āļŋ458
113.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.75$0.75
$1.35āļŋ43.93
-44.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$35.7K$35.7K
$27.2Kāļŋ883.7K
31.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K$25.3K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
-23.04%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$231$231
$125āļŋ4,063
85.14%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$58.0$58.0
$13.57āļŋ441
327.04%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$66.7$66.7
$18.52āļŋ602
260.04%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.54$48.54
$61.5āļŋ1,999
-21.05%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.91$19.91
$16.84āļŋ547
18.23%
Cinema Ticket
$13.52$13.52
$9.19āļŋ299
47.12%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,085$1,085
$698āļŋ22.7K
55.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$25.6K$25.6K
$15.6Kāļŋ506.9K
64.34%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$65.1$65.1
$57.8āļŋ1,878
12.73%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.96$46.96
$35.24āļŋ1,146
33.26%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114$114
$113āļŋ3,677
0.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120$120
$86.4āļŋ2,808
38.62%
ð Accommodation & Living
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,173$1,173
$616āļŋ20.0K
90.40%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$879$879
$446āļŋ14.5K
97.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,795$1,795
$2,048āļŋ66.6K
-12.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,443$1,443
$1,492āļŋ48.5K
-3.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,820$1,820
$3,779āļŋ122.8K
-51.82%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,705$1,705
$2,649āļŋ86.1K
-35.63%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,434$3,434
$524āļŋ17.0K
555.51%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.56
5.33
23.08%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tulsa, OK: April 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,173 in Tulsa, OK and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Tulsa, OK pays 556% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
ðDining out: $70.0 in Tulsa, OK vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $373 vs $292 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
Tulsa, OK vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Tulsa, OK?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 77% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tulsa, OK or Phuket?
Tulsa, OK pays 556% 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 Tulsa, OK and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,173 in Tulsa, OK versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,085 in Tulsa, OK versus $698 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 Tulsa, OK and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Tulsa, OK. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Tulsa, OK or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,175 in Tulsa, OK, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Tulsa, OK. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Tulsa, OK or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tulsa, OK, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Tulsa, OK or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Tulsa, OK 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 â expenses run 77% less than in Tulsa, OK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.