Cost of Living Comparison Between Yakima, WA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Yakima, WA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,289 in Yakima, WA versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,296 in Yakima, WA versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,303 in Yakima, WA versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Yakima, WA is roughly 81% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yakima, WA is 66% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.20 $16.20

$4.66 ฿153

247.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.7 $63.7

$32.22 ฿1,060

97.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.79 $10.79

$8.68 ฿286

24.31%

Cappuccino

$4.75 $4.75

$2.90 ฿95.4

63.79%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$0.84 ฿27.78

164.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.49 ฿16.10

420.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.48 ฿81.7

47.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 $4.27

$3.73 ฿123

14.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.89 ฿62.0

-47.62%

White Bread (500g)

$4.09 $4.09

$1.41 ฿46.36

190.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.62 ฿53.4

127.16%

Eggs

$3.17 $3.17

$2.24 ฿73.8

41.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.66 $11.66

$19.84 ฿653

-41.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 $8.89

$3.48 ฿114

155.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.83 $14.83

$11.37 ฿374

30.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.90 ฿95.4

22.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.72 ฿56.8

-8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.05 $4.05

$2.27 ฿74.8

78.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.13 ฿70.2

63.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.47 ฿48.53

49.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.42 ฿46.73

52.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.10 ฿36.11

85.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.60 ฿19.68

176.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 $12.17

$4.31 ฿142

182.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 $14.10

$18.60 ฿612

-24.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.80 ฿59.3

-2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 $4.98

$2.97 ฿97.6

67.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.25 ฿73.9

118.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿773

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.10 ฿102

-14.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.08 ฿35.42

-12.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.53 $30.53

$3.87 ฿127

688.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.43 ฿46.97

-15.38%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$27.8K ฿914.4K

31.86%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$27.0K ฿888.0K

2.07%

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

$225 $225

$105 ฿3,449

114.27%

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

$56.0 $56.0

$11.39 ฿375

391.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.9 $69.9

$17.54 ฿577

298.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.4 $51.4

$54.3 ฿1,788

-5.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿377

Cinema Ticket

$15.19 $15.19

$7.78 ฿256

95.24%

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

$1,704 $1,704

$576 ฿19.0K

195.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,295 $7,295

$11.6K ฿381.2K

-37.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.3 $61.3

$63.6 ฿2,094

-3.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.30 $45.30

$29.10 ฿958

55.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 $80.2

$96.2 ฿3,167

-16.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$90.0 ฿2,962

18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,028 $1,028

$733 ฿24.1K

40.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,048 $1,048

$501 ฿16.5K

109.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 $1,683

$2,126 ฿70.0K

-20.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,814 $1,814

$1,252 ฿41.2K

44.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,499 $2,499

$3,534 ฿116.3K

-29.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,506 $2,506

$2,622 ฿86.3K

-4.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,527 $3,527

$508 ฿16.7K

594.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.09

5.57

9.34%

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

Last update for Yakima, WA: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,028 in Yakima, WA and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yakima, WA pays 595% 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: $64.0 in Yakima, WA vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $349 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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 595% higher in Yakima, WA, 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: $1,028 in Yakima, WA versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,704 in Yakima, WA versus $576 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 $32.00 versus $64.0 in Yakima, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,289 in Yakima, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Yakima, 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 Yakima, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Yakima, 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 81% less than in Yakima, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.