Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Alton, IL and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $1,910 in Alton, IL, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

92

Cost of Living Index in Alton, IL
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Alton, IL Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Alton, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,910

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Alton, IL and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Alton, IL and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,910 per month in Alton, IL vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Alton, IL $1,910
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $2,881 per month in Alton, IL vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Alton, IL $2,881
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $3,852 per month in Alton, IL vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Alton, IL $3,852
Phuket $3,154

Alton, IL costs about 49% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Alton, IL sits 40% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.04 $21.04

$4.47 ฿151

370.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.0 $55.0

$32.41 ฿1,094

69.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.83 $10.83

$8.81 ฿297

22.93%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$2.83 ฿95.5

73.14%

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

$1.46 $1.46

$0.87 ฿29.43

67.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$0.49 ฿16.67

257.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.12 $4.12

$2.56 ฿86.4

60.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 $6.04

$3.68 ฿124

64.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.66 ฿56.0

-54.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.46 ฿49.35

71.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.50 ฿50.6

111.33%

Eggs

$3.19 $3.19

$2.09 ฿70.5

52.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.53 $9.53

$19.07 ฿644

-50.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.70 $6.70

$3.30 ฿111

103.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.15 $24.15

$10.91 ฿368

121.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.93 ฿99.0

52.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.69 ฿57.1

-27.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$2.25 ฿75.8

128.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.08 ฿70.1

136.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.51 ฿51.0

43.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.38 ฿46.56

105.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.07 ฿35.99

94.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.52 ฿17.52

311.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 $10.90

$4.20 ฿142

159.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.13 $12.13

$18.79 ฿634

-35.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.82 ฿61.5

-0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.84 ฿95.9

-7.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.03

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,913

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.02 ฿102

-2.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.02 ฿34.36

63.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.47 ฿49.81

-32.65%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$26.8K ฿904.3K

2.19%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.7K ฿901.3K

0.65%

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

$338 $338

$96.4 ฿3,254

251.26%

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

$44.08 $44.08

$11.26 ฿380

291.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.4 $76.4

$16.85 ฿569

353.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.65 $27.65

$67.2 ฿2,270

-58.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$12.15 $12.15

$7.50 ฿253

62.00%

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

$280 $280

$476 ฿16.1K

-41.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.41 $39.41

$62.4 ฿2,106

-36.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.27 $42.27

$28.41 ฿959

48.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.2 $65.2

$94.3 ฿3,184

-30.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 $74.8

$85.8 ฿2,898

-12.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$740 $740

$716 ฿24.2K

3.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$631 $631

$491 ฿16.6K

28.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 $1,107

$1,927 ฿65.1K

-42.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,281 $1,281

$1,431 ฿48.3K

-10.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,534 $1,534

$4,175 ฿141.0K

-63.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,426 $1,426

$3,045 ฿102.8K

-53.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,767 $3,767

$502 ฿17.0K

649.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

7.72%

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

Last update for Alton, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Alton, IL

$631 33%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 22.2% $140

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Alton, IL

$459 24%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 72.9% $334

Groceries & Markets

Alton, IL

$352 18.4%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 24.4% $86

Eating Out

Alton, IL

$305 16%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 60.1% $183

Clothing & Footwear

Alton, IL

$100 5.2%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 22.2% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Alton, IL

$52 2.7%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 58.3% $30

Getting Around

Alton, IL

$11 * 0.6%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 525% $59

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $740 in Alton, IL versus $716 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Alton, IL are about 7.5 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $55 in Alton, IL versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $352 vs $266 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Alton, IL

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

13:47 1:47 PM

01:47 1:47 AM

12 h ahead of Alton, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

25,676

79,308

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Alton, IL Phuket 14,740 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Alton, IL
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Alton, IL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alton, IL costs about 49% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,865 per month in Alton, IL and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $740 in Alton, IL and $716 in Phuket. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,910 in Alton, IL and $1,278 in Phuket. That’s a gap of about 49%.

Kindergarten costs $280 per month in Alton, IL and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Alton, IL at $1,910. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Alton, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,278 in Phuket to $1,910 in Alton, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Alton, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.