😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,212 in Tulsa, OK versus $1,261 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,266 in Tulsa, OK versus $2,286 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,320 in Tulsa, OK versus $3,310 in Phuket.
😐Living in Tulsa, OK is roughly 75% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Tulsa, OK is 65% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.07$17.07
$4.56฿149
274.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.8$69.8
$46.63฿1,519
49.73%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.02$10.02
$8.47฿276
18.30%
Cappuccino
$4.98$4.98
$3.03฿98.6
64.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54$2.54
$0.69฿22.45
268.12%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71$1.71
$0.37฿11.92
362.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.93$4.93
$2.49฿81.0
97.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.42$6.42
$3.66฿119
75.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.13$1.13
$2.18฿71.0
-48.17%
White Bread(500g)
$3.65$3.65
$1.90฿62.0
92.11%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.91$5.91
$2.20฿71.6
168.64%
Eggs
$3.71$3.71
$2.22฿72.4
67.12%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$10.92$10.92
$19.99฿651
-45.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.22$11.22
$3.66฿119
206.56%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.82$14.82
$13.25฿432
11.85%
Apples(1kg)
$4.04$4.04
$3.23฿105
25.08%
Banana(1kg)
$1.78$1.78
$1.70฿55.3
4.71%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.62$3.62
$2.39฿78.0
51.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.11$4.11
$2.08฿67.7
97.60%
Potato(1kg)
$2.73$2.73
$1.59฿51.8
71.70%
Onion(1kg)
$3.27$3.27
$1.48฿48.31
120.95%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.87$1.87
$1.03฿33.54
81.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.99$1.99
$0.52฿16.83
282.69%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.56$9.56
$4.25฿138
124.94%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.09$12.09
$18.79฿612
-35.66%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.68$1.68
$1.76฿57.2
-4.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.78$3.78
$2.76฿89.8
36.96%
🚌 Getting Around
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.70$1.70
$1.36฿44.32
25.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.19$45.19
$11.36฿370
297.80%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.95$1.95
$3.14฿102
-37.90%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.25$1.25
$1.04฿33.74
20.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$30.47$30.47
$13.77฿448
121.28%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.82$0.82
$1.34฿43.79
-38.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.9K$34.9K
$27.7K฿901.4K
26.26%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.1K$25.1K
$33.9K฿1.1M
-26.01%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$230$230
$124฿4,025
86.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$56.9$56.9
$13.52฿440
321.15%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.7$65.7
$18.69฿609
251.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$48.56$48.56
$61.8฿2,013
-21.45%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.15$20.15
$17.25฿562
16.81%
Cinema Ticket
$13.46$13.46
$9.14฿298
47.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,085$1,085
$703฿22.9K
54.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$25.0K$25.0K
$15.9K฿517.0K
57.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$64.5$64.5
$59.5฿1,937
8.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.42$46.42
$35.07฿1,142
32.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$114$114
$115฿3,754
-1.51%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$119$119
$84.1฿2,737
41.75%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,172$1,172
$619฿20.1K
89.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$891$891
$433฿14.1K
105.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,797$1,797
$2,062฿67.2K
-12.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,403$1,403
$1,511฿49.2K
-7.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,852$1,852
$3,646฿118.7K
-49.20%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,666$1,666
$2,626฿85.5K
-36.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tulsa, OK
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,416$3,416
$507฿16.5K
573.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.56
5.33
23.08%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tulsa, OK: June 8, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,172 in Tulsa, OK and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Tulsa, OK pays 574% 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: $70.0 in Tulsa, OK vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $372 vs $293 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 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Tulsa, OK or Phuket?
Tulsa, OK pays 574% 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: $1,172 in Tulsa, OK versus $619 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 $703 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 27% 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 $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,212 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 – expenses run 75% less than in Tulsa, OK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.