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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,765 per month in Barrington, IL vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,079 per month in Barrington, IL vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,392 per month in Barrington, IL vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.

Barrington, IL costs about 118% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Barrington, IL sits 106% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.95 $18.95

$4.66 ฿150

306.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 $74.3

$46.44 ฿1,496

59.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.95 $10.95

$8.68 ฿280

26.15%

Cappuccino

$4.96 $4.96

$2.95 ฿95.0

68.14%

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

$2.60 $2.60

$0.70 ฿22.52

271.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.39 ฿12.70

402.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.07 $6.07

$2.53 ฿81.6

139.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 $7.05

$3.78 ฿122

86.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$2.22 ฿71.5

-47.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.80 ฿57.8

112.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.19 ฿70.4

102.74%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$2.31 ฿74.5

79.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.39 $15.39

$19.34 ฿623

-20.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.14 $11.14

$3.77 ฿121

195.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.55 $15.55

$13.22 ฿426

17.62%

Apples (1kg)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.33 ฿107

74.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.65 ฿53.1

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.17 $4.17

$2.29 ฿73.7

82.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.81 $6.81

$1.99 ฿64.1

242.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.53 ฿49.24

82.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.51 ฿48.77

41.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.03 ฿33.12

96.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.51 ฿16.57

329.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.67 $9.67

$4.41 ฿142

119.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.97 $16.97

$19.41 ฿625

-12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.80 ฿58.0

2.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.68 ฿86.4

29.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.43 ฿46.11

37.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$116 $116

$11.70 ฿377

892.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.04 ฿97.9

12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.04 ฿33.37

59.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.71 $29.71

$13.68 ฿441

117.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.30 ฿41.85

-22.31%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

7.38%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-21.93%

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

$231 $231

$123 ฿3,962

88.20%

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

$48.46 $48.46

$13.82 ฿445

250.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.8 $60.8

$18.86 ฿608

222.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.5 $65.5

$61.2 ฿1,970

7.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.04 $15.04

$16.81 ฿541

-10.53%

Cinema Ticket

$14.23 $14.23

$8.87 ฿286

60.43%

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

$1,440 $1,440

$696 ฿22.4K

106.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.5K $27.5K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

71.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.6 $50.6

$59.3 ฿1,910

-14.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.40 $39.40

$34.85 ฿1,123

13.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.3 $85.3

$113 ฿3,646

-24.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$85.1 ฿2,740

29.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,583 $1,583

$615 ฿19.8K

157.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,361 $1,361

$448 ฿14.4K

203.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,609 $2,609

$2,085 ฿67.2K

25.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$1,496 ฿48.2K

50.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,336 $2,336

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-37.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,270 $2,270

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-14.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,724 $5,724

$534 ฿17.2K

972.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.33

22.14%

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

Last update for Barrington, IL: April 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,583 in Barrington, IL versus $615 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 973% higher in Barrington, 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 $74 in Barrington, IL versus $46 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $422 vs $291 – 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

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

Barrington, IL costs about 118% 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 $4,147 per month in Barrington, IL and $1,904 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.

Public transport costs about 893% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,440 per month in Barrington, IL and $696 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,270, than in Barrington, IL at $2,765. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Barrington, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,270 versus $2,765 in Barrington, 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, Barrington, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.