Cost of Living Comparison Between Waco, TX and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Waco, TX and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,744 in Waco, TX versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,748 in Waco, TX versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,753 in Waco, TX versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Waco, TX is roughly 116% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Waco, TX is 105% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.87 $19.87

$4.66 ฿150

326.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.0 $62.0

$46.44 ฿1,496

33.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.02 $10.02

$8.68 ฿280

15.44%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$2.95 ฿95.0

88.47%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$0.70 ฿22.52

204.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.39 ฿12.70

279.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.53 ฿81.6

133.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.78 ฿122

30.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.22 ฿71.5

-54.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.80 ฿57.8

58.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.19 ฿70.4

18.72%

Eggs

$4.40 $4.40

$2.31 ฿74.5

90.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.22 $12.22

$19.34 ฿623

-36.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$3.77 ฿121

185.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.60 $11.60

$13.22 ฿426

-12.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$3.33 ฿107

15.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.65 ฿53.1

-29.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.29 ฿73.7

70.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.99 ฿64.1

87.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.53 ฿49.24

86.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.51 ฿48.77

80.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.03 ฿33.12

54.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.51 ฿16.57

250.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.41 ฿142

78.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 $13.56

$19.41 ฿625

-30.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.80 ฿58.0

-4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.68 ฿86.4

28.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.43 ฿46.11

5.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.98 $39.98

$11.70 ฿377

241.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.51 $4.51

$3.04 ฿97.9

48.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.04 ฿33.37

75.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.35 $35.35

$13.68 ฿441

158.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.73 $0.73

$1.30 ฿41.85

-43.85%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

-7.17%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-20.98%

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

$172 $172

$123 ฿3,962

40.25%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$13.82 ฿445

335.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$18.86 ฿608

248.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.12 $27.12

$61.2 ฿1,970

-55.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$9.74 $9.74

$8.87 ฿286

9.81%

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

$866 $866

$696 ฿22.4K

24.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K $22.1K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

37.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.2 $52.2

$59.3 ฿1,910

-12.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.56 $46.56

$34.85 ฿1,123

33.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.6 $79.6

$113 ฿3,646

-29.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$85.1 ฿2,740

37.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 $1,198

$615 ฿19.8K

94.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 $1,574

$448 ฿14.4K

251.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,421 $2,421

$2,085 ฿67.2K

16.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,222 $2,222

$1,496 ฿48.2K

48.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,935 $1,935

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-48.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,940 $1,940

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-27.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,273 $3,273

$534 ฿17.2K

513.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.33

21.01%

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

Last update for Waco, TX: April 22, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,198 in Waco, TX and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Waco, TX pays 513% 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: $62 in Waco, TX vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $337 vs $291 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

Waco, TX vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 116% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Waco, TX pays 513% 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: $1,198 in Waco, TX versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $866 in Waco, TX versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Waco, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,744 in Waco, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Waco, TX. 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 Waco, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Waco, TX 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 116% less than in Waco, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.