😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,352 in Baraboo, WI versus $1,253 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,360 in Baraboo, WI versus $2,043 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,368 in Baraboo, WI versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Baraboo, WI is roughly 88% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Baraboo, WI is 71% above, Phuket is 9% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Baraboo, WI
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$14.19$14.19
$4.56฿150
211.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.60$40.60
$32.62฿1,072
24.46%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$12.01$12.01
$8.90฿293
34.94%
Cappuccino
$4.97$4.97
$2.80฿92.2
77.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53$1.53
$0.88฿28.93
73.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.49$1.49
$0.49฿16.08
204.08%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.04$5.04
$2.39฿78.5
110.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.47$3.47
$3.71฿122
-6.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Baraboo, WI
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.78$0.78
$1.79฿58.7
-56.42%
White Bread(500g)
$2.89$2.89
$1.44฿47.38
100.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.85$2.85
$1.58฿52.1
80.38%
Eggs
$2.93$2.93
$2.13฿69.9
37.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.84$7.84
$19.92฿655
-60.64%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.18$11.18
$3.43฿113
225.95%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.53$10.53
$11.33฿372
-7.06%
Apples(1kg)
$3.86$3.86
$2.95฿96.9
30.85%
Banana(1kg)
$1.27$1.27
$1.72฿56.6
-26.16%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.47$3.47
$2.32฿76.4
49.57%
Tomato(1kg)
$5.43$5.43
$2.08฿68.4
161.06%
Potato(1kg)
$1.79$1.79
$1.47฿48.33
21.77%
Onion(1kg)
$3.21$3.21
$1.36฿44.64
136.03%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.62$1.62
$1.10฿36.12
47.27%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.21$2.21
$0.57฿18.89
287.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$12.22$12.22
$4.27฿140
186.18%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.34$8.34
$18.42฿605
-54.72%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77$1.77
$1.87฿61.5
-5.35%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.45$3.45
$2.92฿96.0
18.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Baraboo, WI
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.99$1.99
$2.22฿72.9
-10.36%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.90฿753
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.98$2.98
$3.03฿99.6
-1.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.78$1.78
$1.07฿35.31
66.36%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$30.54$30.54
$3.93฿129
677.10%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.99$0.99
$1.49฿49.04
-33.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.8K$24.8K
$27.1K฿891.7K
-8.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K$25.6K
$27.5K฿902.3K
-6.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Baraboo, WI
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$172$172
$103฿3,379
67.53%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.5$52.5
$10.99฿361
377.25%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.9$51.9
$17.51฿576
196.63%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Baraboo, WI
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$41.94$41.94
$53.5฿1,760
-21.65%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.20฿368
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.31$11.31
$7.48฿246
51.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Baraboo, WI
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,524$1,524
$557฿18.3K
173.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.7K$23.7K
$11.9K฿389.6K
99.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Baraboo, WI
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.5$56.5
$64.1฿2,106
-11.82%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.04$41.04
$29.07฿956
41.18%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.7$88.7
$96.0฿3,154
-7.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$116$116
$90.3฿2,970
28.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Baraboo, WI
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,588$1,588
$730฿24.0K
117.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,281$1,281
$500฿16.4K
156.27%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,533$2,533
$2,090฿68.7K
21.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,126$2,126
$1,209฿39.7K
75.78%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,229$2,229
$3,596฿118.2K
-38.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,226$2,226
$2,512฿82.6K
-11.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Baraboo, WI
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$503฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.16
5.57
10.59%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Baraboo, WI: August 31, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,588 in Baraboo, WI and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $41.00 in Baraboo, WI vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $316 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
Baraboo, WI vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Baraboo, WI or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 88% lower than in Baraboo, WI. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Baraboo, WI and in Phuket?
You'd need roughly $3,527 in Baraboo, WI and $1,880 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Baraboo, WI compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,588 in Baraboo, WI versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Baraboo, WI or in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Baraboo, WI. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Baraboo, WI compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,352 per month in Baraboo, WI versus $1,253 in Phuket – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Baraboo, WI or in Phuket?
At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,352 in Baraboo, WI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Baraboo, WI. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Baraboo, WI or Phuket?
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.
How safe is Baraboo, WI compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Baraboo, WI 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Baraboo, WI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Baraboo, WI vs other spots: cost of living compared