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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,168 per month in Bloomington, IL vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,121 per month in Bloomington, IL vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,074 per month in Bloomington, IL vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Bloomington, IL costs about 76% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bloomington, IL sits 58% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.97 $15.97

$4.41 ฿147

262.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.60 $45.60

$32.26 ฿1,073

41.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.90 $11.90

$8.93 ฿297

33.26%

Cappuccino

$2.43 $2.43

$2.90 ฿96.3

-16.21%

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

$2.02 $2.02

$0.88 ฿29.27

129.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 $1.68

$0.48 ฿16.00

250.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.72 $5.72

$2.35 ฿78.2

143.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.13 $5.13

$3.72 ฿124

37.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.87 ฿62.0

-44.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.47 ฿48.75

63.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.55 ฿51.6

176.13%

Eggs

$3.65 $3.65

$2.10 ฿69.9

73.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 $13.27

$19.59 ฿651

-32.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.62 $7.62

$3.42 ฿114

122.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.37 $17.37

$11.38 ฿378

52.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 $3.64

$2.98 ฿99.2

22.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.68 ฿56.0

-3.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$2.21 ฿73.5

154.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.16 ฿71.9

57.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$1.52 ฿50.7

134.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.34 ฿44.49

94.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.13 ฿37.53

142.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$0.55 ฿18.17

414.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.24 $8.24

$4.26 ฿142

93.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$19.09 ฿635

-22.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.78 ฿59.2

14.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.78 ฿92.5

20.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 $1.24

$2.23 ฿74.1

-44.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.59 $39.59

$22.74 ฿756

74.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$3.03 ฿101

13.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.02 ฿34.02

53.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.53 $39.53

$3.89 ฿129

916.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.49 ฿49.57

-40.94%

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

$35.2K $35.2K

$26.6K ฿883.8K

32.56%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$27.0K ฿898.7K

-9.53%

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

$193 $193

$102 ฿3,407

88.33%

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

$68.4 $68.4

$11.33 ฿377

503.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.1 $77.1

$17.40 ฿578

342.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 $61.2

$52.1 ฿1,732

17.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$9.80 $9.80

$7.69 ฿256

27.44%

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

$1,397 $1,397

$561 ฿18.6K

149.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$11.5K ฿382.6K

104.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 $58.4

$63.0 ฿2,096

-7.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.75 $42.75

$29.52 ฿982

44.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 $86.5

$98.0 ฿3,259

-11.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$88.5 ฿2,943

32.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,246 $1,246

$738 ฿24.5K

68.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$954 $954

$482 ฿16.0K

97.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,763 $1,763

$2,107 ฿70.0K

-16.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,426 $1,426

$1,226 ฿40.8K

16.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,305 $1,305

$3,617 ฿120.3K

-63.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,331 $1,331

$2,603 ฿86.5K

-48.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,592 $4,592

$494 ฿16.4K

830.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.09

5.57

9.34%

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

Last update for Bloomington, IL: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,246 in Bloomington, IL versus $738 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 830% higher in Bloomington, 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 $46.00 in Bloomington, IL versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $274 – 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

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

Bloomington, IL costs about 76% 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 $3,252 per month in Bloomington, IL and $1,847 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,397 per month in Bloomington, IL and $561 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 36% more in Bloomington, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Bloomington, IL at $2,168. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bloomington, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,168 in Bloomington, 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, Bloomington, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.