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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,013 in Ankeny, IA versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,887 in Ankeny, IA versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,760 in Ankeny, IA versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Ankeny, IA is roughly 61% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ankeny, IA is 51% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.70 $14.70

$4.55 ฿153

223.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 $57.2

$46.18 ฿1,553

23.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.22 $12.22

$8.84 ฿297

38.24%

Cappuccino

$5.97 $5.97

$3.06 ฿103

95.10%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$0.73 ฿24.40

268.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.40 ฿13.39

280.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.43 ฿81.8

107.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$3.78 ฿127

83.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$2.26 ฿76.0

-57.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.81 ฿60.9

34.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$2.25 ฿75.8

-4.89%

Eggs

$3.72 $3.72

$2.25 ฿75.5

65.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.69 $10.69

$19.51 ฿656

-45.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.91 $10.91

$3.65 ฿123

198.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.63 $14.63

$13.05 ฿439

12.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.23 ฿109

35.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.62 ฿54.4

19.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.38 ฿80.1

92.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.03 ฿68.1

123.15%

Potato (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.53 ฿51.6

124.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$1.50 ฿50.5

125.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.98 ฿32.91

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 $0.72

$0.52 ฿17.39

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.09 $9.09

$4.44 ฿149

104.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$18.32 ฿616

-16.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.86 ฿62.7

-4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.68 ฿90.1

25.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.41 ฿47.46

39.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.99 $1.99

$3.11 ฿105

-36.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.04 ฿35.06

113.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.36 $20.36

$14.11 ฿474

44.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.31 ฿44.10

-36.64%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-8.24%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-25.42%

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

$147 $147

$122 ฿4,118

19.69%

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

$49.76 $49.76

$13.59 ฿457

266.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.3 $64.3

$18.70 ฿629

243.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.48 $42.48

$60.5 ฿2,034

-29.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$15.24 $15.24

$9.07 ฿305

68.03%

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

$1,117 $1,117

$706 ฿23.8K

58.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K $11.9K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

-24.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.57 $49.57

$58.6 ฿1,969

-15.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.52 $35.52

$35.36 ฿1,189

0.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.1 $84.1

$115 ฿3,883

-27.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.4 $94.4

$83.7 ฿2,816

12.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$932 $932

$626 ฿21.0K

48.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$917 $917

$445 ฿15.0K

105.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,889 $1,889

$2,040 ฿68.6K

-7.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,377 $1,377

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-7.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,265 $5,265

$500 ฿16.8K

953.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.33

22.70%

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

Last update for Ankeny, IA: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $932 in Ankeny, IA and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ankeny, IA pays 953% 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: $57.0 in Ankeny, IA vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $338 vs $289 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

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

Ankeny, IA and Phuket differ by about 61% in total monthly costs ($2,013 vs $1,250 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 953% higher in Ankeny, 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: $932 in Ankeny, IA versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Ankeny, IA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,013 per month in Ankeny, IA versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,013 in Ankeny, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ankeny, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ankeny, 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 61% less than in Ankeny, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.