Cost of Living Comparison Between University Place, WA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between University Place, WA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,637 in University Place, WA versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,035 in University Place, WA versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,433 in University Place, WA versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in University Place, WA is roughly 108% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: University Place, WA is 97% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.29 $16.29

$4.70 ฿154

246.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$116 $116

$45.37 ฿1,489

156.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.61 $12.61

$8.43 ฿277

49.58%

Cappuccino

$6.23 $6.23

$2.93 ฿96.1

112.63%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$0.69 ฿22.50

324.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.37 ฿12.04

567.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.09 $9.09

$2.41 ฿79.0

277.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.78 $11.78

$3.72 ฿122

216.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$2.23 ฿73.3

-49.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.83 ฿60.1

130.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.17 ฿71.1

24.88%

Eggs

$4.94 $4.94

$2.21 ฿72.6

123.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.32 $11.32

$19.74 ฿648

-42.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.32 $16.32

$3.63 ฿119

349.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.04 $19.04

$13.53 ฿444

40.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.28 $5.28

$3.28 ฿108

60.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.61 ฿52.9

1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.41 ฿79.0

106.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$2.08 ฿68.4

79.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$1.53 ฿50.2

116.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.48 ฿48.58

90.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.99 ฿32.44

102.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.03 $3.03

$0.51 ฿16.74

494.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 $11.06

$4.41 ฿145

150.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.80 $18.80

$19.38 ฿636

-2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.78 ฿58.4

-3.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.71 ฿89.0

27.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.37 ฿44.99

42.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.56 $2.56

$3.02 ฿99.1

-15.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.99 ฿32.63

96.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.84 $29.84

$14.10 ฿463

111.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.36 ฿44.71

-15.44%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

6.72%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-22.74%

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

$159 $159

$122 ฿3,993

30.45%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$13.57 ฿445

285.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$88.1 $88.1

$18.31 ฿601

381.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.32 $42.32

$60.2 ฿1,976

-29.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$8.69 ฿285

104.14%

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

$2,052 $2,052

$693 ฿22.8K

195.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K $29.6K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

88.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.1 $60.1

$59.5 ฿1,953

0.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.35 $37.35

$34.77 ฿1,141

7.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.5 $98.5

$115 ฿3,760

-14.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$113 $113

$83.3 ฿2,733

35.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 $1,594

$613 ฿20.1K

159.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 $1,329

$437 ฿14.3K

204.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,589 $2,589

$2,094 ฿68.7K

23.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,253 $2,253

$1,509 ฿49.5K

49.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,770 $2,770

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-26.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,449 $2,449

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-6.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,868 $7,868

$508 ฿16.7K

1448.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.33

22.14%

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

Last update for University Place, WA: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,594 in University Place, WA and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

University Place, WA pays 1448% 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: $116 in University Place, WA vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $445 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

University Place, WA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

University Place, WA pays 1448% more on average, 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: $1,594 in University Place, WA versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,052 in University Place, WA versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $116 in University Place, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,637 in University Place, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in University Place, WA. 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 University Place, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, University Place, WA 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 108% less than in University Place, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.