๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,101 in Yuma, AZ versus $1,247 in Phuket.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,125 in Yuma, AZ versus $2,276 in Phuket.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,148 in Yuma, AZ versus $3,306 in Phuket.
๐Living in Yuma, AZ is roughly 69% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Yuma, AZ is 56% above, Phuket is 7% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Yuma, AZ
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.05$15.05
$4.59เธฟ147
227.89%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$43.79$43.79
$46.83เธฟ1,501
-6.49%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.26$9.26
$8.70เธฟ279
6.44%
Cappuccino
$3.93$3.93
$2.92เธฟ93.7
34.59%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.44$2.44
$0.68เธฟ21.92
258.82%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97$1.97
$0.40เธฟ12.70
392.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$4.97$4.97
$2.51เธฟ80.4
98.01%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.89$4.89
$3.80เธฟ122
28.68%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Yuma, AZ
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.83$0.83
$2.16เธฟ69.3
-61.57%
White Bread(500g)
$3.50$3.50
$1.88เธฟ60.3
86.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.34$3.34
$2.16เธฟ69.2
54.63%
Eggs
$4.55$4.55
$2.22เธฟ71.2
104.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.63$9.63
$19.57เธฟ627
-50.79%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.80$9.80
$3.80เธฟ122
157.89%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$14.53$14.53
$13.41เธฟ430
8.35%
Apples(1kg)
$4.86$4.86
$3.26เธฟ104
49.08%
Banana(1kg)
$1.29$1.29
$1.61เธฟ51.7
-19.88%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.31$5.31
$2.31เธฟ74.0
129.87%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.97$2.97
$2.06เธฟ66.0
44.17%
Potato(1kg)
$2.76$2.76
$1.61เธฟ51.5
71.43%
Onion(1kg)
$3.30$3.30
$1.44เธฟ46.26
129.17%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.82$1.82
$1.03เธฟ33.01
76.70%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.12$2.12
$0.48เธฟ15.39
341.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$10.19$10.19
$4.50เธฟ144
126.44%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.85$14.85
$19.18เธฟ615
-22.58%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75$1.75
$1.82เธฟ58.4
-3.85%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46$2.46
$2.69เธฟ86.2
-8.55%
๐ Getting Around
Yuma, AZ
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.05$2.05
$1.38เธฟ44.16
48.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.71$45.71
$11.76เธฟ377
288.69%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.03$5.03
$3.11เธฟ99.6
61.74%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.34$1.34
$1.00เธฟ32.18
34.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$29.03$29.03
$13.74เธฟ441
111.28%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.92$0.92
$1.30เธฟ41.61
-29.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K$23.9K
$27.4Kเธฟ877.0K
-12.62%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K$24.6K
$33.0Kเธฟ1.1M
-25.59%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yuma, AZ
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$205$205
$125เธฟ4,004
63.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.9$53.9
$13.74เธฟ440
292.29%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$71.2$71.2
$18.61เธฟ597
282.54%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Yuma, AZ
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$33.47$33.47
$60.6เธฟ1,941
-44.72%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.98$14.98
$17.15เธฟ550
-12.65%
Cinema Ticket
$9.76$9.76
$9.01เธฟ289
8.32%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Yuma, AZ
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,025$1,025
$698เธฟ22.4K
46.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.3K$23.3K
$16.1Kเธฟ516.5K
44.73%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Yuma, AZ
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.60$45.60
$59.2เธฟ1,898
-22.99%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$51.8$51.8
$34.86เธฟ1,118
48.59%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$67.3$67.3
$114เธฟ3,662
-41.07%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$71.5$71.5
$85.8เธฟ2,751
-16.63%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Yuma, AZ
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,007$1,007
$619เธฟ19.8K
62.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$937$937
$437เธฟ14.0K
114.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,631$1,631
$2,075เธฟ66.5K
-21.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,658$1,658
$1,509เธฟ48.4K
9.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,343$2,343
$3,764เธฟ120.7K
-37.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,384$2,384
$2,694เธฟ86.4K
-11.50%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Yuma, AZ
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$3,470$3,470
$528เธฟ16.9K
556.59%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.45
5.33
21.01%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Yuma, AZ: April 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,007 in Yuma, AZ and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐYuma, AZ pays 557% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $44 in Yuma, AZ vs $47 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $355 vs $292, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.
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
Yuma, AZ vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Yuma, AZ?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Yuma, AZ or Phuket?
Yuma, AZ pays 557% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Yuma, AZ and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,007 in Yuma, AZ versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,025 in Yuma, AZ versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Yuma, AZ and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Yuma, AZ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Yuma, AZ or Phuket?
At $1,247 in Phuket versus $2,101 in Yuma, AZ, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Yuma, AZ. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Yuma, AZ or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Yuma, AZ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Yuma, AZ or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Yuma, AZ 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 69% less than in Yuma, AZ. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.