Cost of Living Comparison Between Utica, NY and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Utica, NY and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,445 in Utica, NY versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,900 in Utica, NY versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,354 in Utica, NY versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Utica, NY is roughly 93% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Utica, NY is 77% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.76 $16.76

$4.66 ฿154

259.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$32.22 ฿1,065

137.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.01 $11.01

$8.68 ฿287

26.84%

Cappuccino

$5.36 $5.36

$2.90 ฿95.8

84.83%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$0.84 ฿27.89

221.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$0.49 ฿16.16

232.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.48 ฿82.0

96.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.98 $5.98

$3.73 ฿123

60.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.89 ฿62.3

-49.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.41 ฿46.54

141.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.62 ฿53.6

80.25%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$2.24 ฿74.1

98.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.21 $13.21

$19.84 ฿656

-33.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.03 $10.03

$3.48 ฿115

188.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.86 $15.86

$11.37 ฿376

39.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.90 ฿95.8

70.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.72 ฿57.0

-13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$2.27 ฿75.1

77.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$2.13 ฿70.4

141.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.47 ฿48.72

6.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.42 ฿46.92

48.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.10 ฿36.25

119.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.60 ฿19.76

306.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.75 $13.75

$4.31 ฿142

219.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 $11.90

$18.60 ฿615

-36.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.80 ฿59.5

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.97 ฿98.0

16.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$2.25 ฿74.2

-34.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.82 $43.82

$23.49 ฿776

86.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.32 $5.32

$3.10 ฿102

71.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.08 ฿35.56

102.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.73 $44.73

$3.87 ฿128

1055.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.43 ฿47.16

-38.46%

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

$32.3K $32.3K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

16.37%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-6.37%

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

$186 $186

$105 ฿3,462

77.09%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$11.39 ฿376

361.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$17.54 ฿580

274.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.59 $39.59

$54.3 ฿1,795

-27.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$12.81 $12.81

$7.78 ฿257

64.65%

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

$788 $788

$576 ฿19.0K

36.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.1K $32.1K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

176.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 $53.8

$63.6 ฿2,103

-15.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.25 $44.25

$29.10 ฿961

52.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.6 $83.6

$96.2 ฿3,179

-13.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 $90.0

$90.0 ฿2,974

-0.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,219 $1,219

$733 ฿24.2K

66.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 $1,267

$501 ฿16.5K

153.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,010 $2,010

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-5.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,542 $2,542

$1,252 ฿41.4K

102.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,653 $1,653

$3,534 ฿116.8K

-53.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,623 $1,623

$2,622 ฿86.6K

-38.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,616 $3,616

$508 ฿16.8K

612.41%

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 Utica, NY: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,219 in Utica, NY and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Utica, NY pays 612% 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 Utica, NY vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $374 vs $275 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

Utica, NY vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 612% higher in Utica, NY, 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: $1,219 in Utica, NY versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $788 in Utica, NY versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Utica, NY. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,445 in Utica, NY, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Utica, NY. 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 Utica, NY, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Utica, NY 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 93% less than in Utica, NY. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.