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: $2,165 in Ankeny, IA versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,218 in Ankeny, IA versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,271 in Ankeny, IA versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Ankeny, IA is roughly 71% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ankeny, IA is 57% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.06 $20.06

$4.66 ฿154

330.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.3 $80.3

$32.22 ฿1,065

149.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$8.68 ฿287

36.64%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$2.90 ฿95.8

106.21%

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

$3.04 $3.04

$0.84 ฿27.89

261.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.49 ฿16.16

424.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.48 ฿82.0

100.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.91 $5.91

$3.73 ฿123

58.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.89 ฿62.3

-35.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.41 ฿46.54

104.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.62 ฿53.6

100.62%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$2.24 ฿74.1

79.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.69 $9.69

$19.84 ฿656

-51.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.48 $9.48

$3.48 ฿115

172.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.66 $13.66

$11.37 ฿376

20.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.90 ฿95.8

48.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.72 ฿57.0

-13.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.27 ฿75.1

96.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.13 ฿70.4

73.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.47 ฿48.72

31.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.42 ฿46.92

84.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.10 ฿36.25

111.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 $0.66

$0.60 ฿19.76

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.08 $8.08

$4.31 ฿142

87.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 $14.77

$18.60 ฿615

-20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.80 ฿59.5

-5.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.97 ฿98.0

-25.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.10 ฿102

-37.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.08 ฿35.56

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.95 $19.95

$3.87 ฿128

415.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.43 ฿47.16

-37.76%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

26.59%

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

$24.4K $24.4K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-9.48%

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

$204 $204

$105 ฿3,462

94.44%

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

$66.4 $66.4

$11.39 ฿376

482.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$17.54 ฿580

302.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$73.6 $73.6

$54.3 ฿1,795

35.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$14.95 $14.95

$7.78 ฿257

92.16%

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

$1,167 $1,167

$576 ฿19.0K

102.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K $11.7K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

1.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 $59.7

$63.6 ฿2,103

-6.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.38 $43.38

$29.10 ฿961

49.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$96.2 ฿3,179

7.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$90.0 ฿2,974

61.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 $954

$733 ฿24.2K

30.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$906 $906

$501 ฿16.5K

80.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,842 $1,842

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-13.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,414 $1,414

$1,252 ฿41.4K

12.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,222 $5,222

$508 ฿16.8K

928.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

5.57

8.26%

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

Last update for Ankeny, IA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $954 in Ankeny, IA and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ankeny, IA pays 929% 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: $80.0 in Ankeny, IA vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $325 vs $275 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 71% in total monthly costs ($2,165 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 929% 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: $954 in Ankeny, IA versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Ankeny, IA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,165 per month in Ankeny, IA versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,165 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 71% less than in Ankeny, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.