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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,154 in Ames, IA versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,214 in Ames, IA versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,273 in Ames, IA versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Ames, IA is roughly 72% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ames, IA is 57% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.20 $18.20

$4.56 ฿151

299.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.1 $52.1

$32.62 ฿1,082

59.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.07 $12.07

$8.90 ฿295

35.62%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$2.80 ฿93.0

81.07%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$0.88 ฿29.19

201.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$0.49 ฿16.23

357.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.10 $4.10

$2.39 ฿79.2

71.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$3.71 ฿123

90.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.79 ฿59.3

-49.72%

White Bread (500g)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.44 ฿47.81

154.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.58 ฿52.6

112.66%

Eggs

$3.34 $3.34

$2.13 ฿70.5

56.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$19.92 ฿661

-49.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.39 $14.39

$3.43 ฿114

319.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.47 $18.47

$11.33 ฿376

63.02%

Apples (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$2.95 ฿97.8

99.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.72 ฿57.1

6.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$2.32 ฿77.1

178.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.08 ฿69.0

141.35%

Potato (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$1.47 ฿48.77

194.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.36 ฿45.05

179.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.10 ฿36.45

112.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$0.57 ฿19.06

347.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.14 $13.14

$4.27 ฿142

207.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.85 $15.85

$18.42 ฿611

-13.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.87 ฿62.1

47.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.92 ฿96.9

72.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.01 $1.01

$2.22 ฿73.6

-54.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.29 $35.29

$22.90 ฿759

54.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 $5.03

$3.03 ฿101

66.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.07 ฿35.63

56.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.03 $24.03

$3.93 ฿130

511.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.49 ฿49.49

-38.93%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.1K ฿899.8K

-6.76%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$27.5K ฿910.6K

-8.73%

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

$160 $160

$103 ฿3,410

55.86%

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

$54.9 $54.9

$10.99 ฿365

399.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$17.51 ฿581

290.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.9 $68.9

$53.5 ฿1,776

28.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.76 $19.76

$11.20 ฿371

76.43%

Cinema Ticket

$15.77 $15.77

$7.48 ฿248

110.83%

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

$1,376 $1,376

$557 ฿18.5K

147.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K $36.0K

$11.9K ฿393.2K

203.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 $58.7

$64.1 ฿2,125

-8.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.80 $44.80

$29.07 ฿964

54.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.9 $89.9

$96.0 ฿3,183

-6.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$90.3 ฿2,997

17.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,032 $1,032

$730 ฿24.2K

41.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$823 $823

$500 ฿16.6K

64.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,806 $1,806

$2,090 ฿69.3K

-13.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,513 $1,513

$1,209 ฿40.1K

25.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,403 $2,403

$3,596 ฿119.3K

-33.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,224 $2,224

$2,512 ฿83.3K

-11.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,636 $3,636

$503 ฿16.7K

622.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.02

5.57

8.08%

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

Last update for Ames, IA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,032 in Ames, IA and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ames, IA pays 622% 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: $52.0 in Ames, IA vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $438 vs $273 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

Ames, IA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 72% lower than in Ames, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 622% higher in Ames, IA, 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: $1,032 in Ames, IA versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 54% less than in Ames, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,376 in Ames, IA versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,154 in Ames, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ames, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,253 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ames, IA 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 72% less than in Ames, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.