Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Ames, IA and Phuket

😐 Solo nomad: Ames, IA is 70.4% more expensive than Phuket without rent, and 67.6% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Ames, IA is 47.2% more expensive than Phuket without rent, and 29.1% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.07 $18.07

$4.68 ฿151

286.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.34 $44.34

$46.4 ฿1,502

-4.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.04 $9.04

$8.65 ฿280

4.51%

Cappuccino

$5.27 $5.27

$3.09 ฿100

70.55%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$0.73 ฿23.53

167.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$0.37 ฿11.95

370.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.39 ฿77.4

25.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$3.62 ฿117

91.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.24 ฿72.5

-54.91%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.8 ฿58.2

102.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.24 ฿72.3

38.84%

Eggs

$3.29 $3.29

$2.23 ฿72.1

47.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.44 $9.44

$19.31 ฿625

-51.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.6 $11.6

$3.77 ฿122

207.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.09 $14.09

$13.05 ฿422

7.97%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.28 ฿106

55.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.63 ฿52.6

-29.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$2.4 ฿77.7

141.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.1 $5.1

$1.99 ฿64.3

156.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.76 $3.76

$1.53 ฿49.62

145.75%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.49 ฿48.11

151.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.02 ฿32.87

95.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.48 ฿15.61

310.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9 $9

$4.32 ฿140

108.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.23 $16.23

$21.68 ฿702

-25.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.77 ฿57.3

-3.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.79 ฿90.4

56.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.35 ฿43.74

10.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$47.13 $47.13

$11.76 ฿380

300.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.9 $4.9

$3.15 ฿102

55.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1 ฿32.3

39.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.16 $49.16

$13.64 ฿442

260.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.8 $0.8

$1.3 ฿42.2

-38.46%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$27.4K ฿885.2K

-9.70%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-24.72%

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

$189 $189

$123 ฿3,970

54.06%

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

$48.48 $48.48

$13.93 ฿451

248.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$18.24 ฿590

307.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.5 $68.5

$60.8 ฿1,966

12.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.74 $19.74

$17.11 ฿554

15.37%

Cinema Ticket

$13.9 $13.9

$9.07 ฿294

53.25%

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

$1,470 $1,470

$694 ฿22.5K

111.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K $30.2K

$15.9K ฿514.4K

90.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.64 $38.64

$57.5 ฿1,861

-32.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.65 $42.65

$34.51 ฿1,117

23.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 $84.4

$115 ฿3,727

-26.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$84.8 ฿2,743

36.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 $989

$611 ฿19.8K

61.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$837 $837

$442 ฿14.3K

89.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,931 $1,931

$2,014 ฿65.2K

-4.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 $1,676

$1,460 ฿47.2K

14.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,346 $2,346

$4,244 ฿137.3K

-44.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,182 $2,182

$2,886 ฿93.4K

-24.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,732 $3,732

$697 ฿22.5K

435.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.02

5.33

12.95%

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

Last update for Ames, IA: October 28, 2025

Last update for Phuket: October 29, 2025

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