Cost of Living Comparison Between Aurora, IL and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Aurora, IL and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,629 per month in Aurora, IL vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,680 per month in Aurora, IL vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,731 per month in Aurora, IL vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Aurora, IL costs about 108% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Aurora, IL sits 91% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.21 $14.21

$4.66 ฿154

204.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.6 $59.6

$32.22 ฿1,065

84.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$8.68 ฿287

36.64%

Cappuccino

$5.48 $5.48

$2.90 ฿95.8

88.97%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$0.84 ฿27.89

259.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.49 ฿16.16

377.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.48 ฿82.0

105.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.34 $7.34

$3.73 ฿123

96.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.89 ฿62.3

-51.85%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.41 ฿46.54

157.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.62 ฿53.6

184.57%

Eggs

$3.49 $3.49

$2.24 ฿74.1

55.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 $8.96

$19.84 ฿656

-54.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.37 $11.37

$3.48 ฿115

226.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.18 $16.18

$11.37 ฿376

42.30%

Apples (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.90 ฿95.8

67.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.72 ฿57.0

-4.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$2.27 ฿75.1

69.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.13 ฿70.4

52.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.47 ฿48.72

24.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.42 ฿46.92

88.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.10 ฿36.25

70.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 $1.55

$0.60 ฿19.76

158.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.63 $10.63

$4.31 ฿142

146.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.88 $13.88

$18.60 ฿615

-25.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.80 ฿59.5

23.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.97 ฿98.0

-0.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.25 ฿74.2

-0.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.2 $99.2

$23.49 ฿776

322.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.10 ฿102

26.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.08 ฿35.56

86.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.60 $44.60

$3.87 ฿128

1052.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.43 ฿47.16

-30.77%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

-10.57%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-5.61%

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

$173 $173

$105 ฿3,462

65.49%

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

$51.4 $51.4

$11.39 ฿376

351.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.4 $54.4

$17.54 ฿580

210.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.54 $29.54

$54.3 ฿1,795

-45.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$12.20 $12.20

$7.78 ฿257

56.81%

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

$1,479 $1,479

$576 ฿19.0K

156.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

104.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$63.6 ฿2,103

-11.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 $50.9

$29.10 ฿961

74.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 $88.7

$96.2 ฿3,179

-7.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.6 $79.6

$90.0 ฿2,974

-11.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 $1,713

$733 ฿24.2K

133.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,454 $1,454

$501 ฿16.5K

190.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,178 $2,178

$2,126 ฿70.2K

2.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,235 $2,235

$1,252 ฿41.4K

78.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,865 $9,865

$3,534 ฿116.8K

179.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,182 $3,182

$2,622 ฿86.6K

21.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,883 $3,883

$508 ฿16.8K

665.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

5.57

12.39%

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

Last update for Aurora, IL: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,713 in Aurora, IL versus $733 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 run about 665% higher in Aurora, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Aurora, IL versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $358 vs $275 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Aurora, IL costs about 108% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by 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 $3,944 per month in Aurora, IL and $1,898 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Aurora, IL and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,629 in Aurora, IL and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Aurora, IL at $2,629. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aurora, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $2,629 in Aurora, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Aurora, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.