Cost of Living Comparison Between Walnut, CA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Walnut, CA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,396 in Walnut, CA versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,501 in Walnut, CA versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,606 in Walnut, CA versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Walnut, CA is roughly 89% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Walnut, CA is 79% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.30 $18.30

$4.70 ฿154

289.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$45.37 ฿1,489

77.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.73 $14.73

$8.43 ฿277

74.73%

Cappuccino

$5.16 $5.16

$2.93 ฿96.1

76.11%

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

$3.59 $3.59

$0.69 ฿22.50

420.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$0.37 ฿12.04

497.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.30 $7.30

$2.41 ฿79.0

202.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$3.72 ฿122

111.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$2.23 ฿73.3

-48.43%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.83 ฿60.1

106.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.17 ฿71.1

10.60%

Eggs

$3.79 $3.79

$2.21 ฿72.6

71.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.68 $7.68

$19.74 ฿648

-61.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.69 $8.69

$3.63 ฿119

139.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.22 $10.22

$13.53 ฿444

-24.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.28 ฿108

6.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.61 ฿52.9

-6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.41 ฿79.0

-8.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.08 ฿68.4

70.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.53 ฿50.2

10.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.48 ฿48.58

-11.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.99 ฿32.44

96.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.51 ฿16.74

245.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 $8.18

$4.41 ฿145

85.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 $11.85

$19.38 ฿636

-38.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.78 ฿58.4

11.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.71 ฿89.0

9.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.37 ฿44.99

44.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.66 $6.66

$3.02 ฿99.1

120.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.99 ฿32.63

60.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.64 $29.64

$14.10 ฿463

110.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.36 ฿44.71

-5.15%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

-8.31%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-24.81%

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

$100 $100

$122 ฿3,993

-17.46%

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

$53.7 $53.7

$13.57 ฿445

295.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.19 $49.19

$18.31 ฿601

168.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.23 $42.23

$60.2 ฿1,976

-29.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$8.69 ฿285

71.92%

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

$1,475 $1,475

$693 ฿22.8K

112.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

49.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.59 $34.59

$59.5 ฿1,953

-41.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.64 $33.64

$34.77 ฿1,141

-3.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.7 $68.7

$115 ฿3,760

-40.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.2 $58.2

$83.3 ฿2,733

-30.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 $1,580

$613 ฿20.1K

157.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,375 $1,375

$437 ฿14.3K

214.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,634 $2,634

$2,094 ฿68.7K

25.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 $2,183

$1,509 ฿49.5K

44.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,793 $2,793

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-25.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,382 $2,382

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-8.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,097 $5,097

$508 ฿16.7K

903.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

5.33

24.58%

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

Last update for Walnut, CA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,580 in Walnut, CA and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Walnut, CA pays 903% 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: $80.0 in Walnut, CA vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 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

Walnut, CA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 89% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Walnut, CA pays 903% 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: $1,580 in Walnut, CA versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,475 in Walnut, CA 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 $80.0 in Walnut, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,396 in Walnut, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Walnut, CA. 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 Walnut, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Walnut, CA 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 89% less than in Walnut, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.