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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,346 per month in Bloomington, IN vs $1,247 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,189 per month in Bloomington, IN vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,032 per month in Bloomington, IN vs $3,306 in Phuket, rent included.

Bloomington, IN costs about 88% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bloomington, IN sits 74% above the global median, while Phuket is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.14 $15.14

$4.59 ฿147

229.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 $59.4

$46.83 ฿1,501

26.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 $7.81

$8.70 ฿279

-10.23%

Cappuccino

$4.29 $4.29

$2.92 ฿93.7

46.92%

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

$2.15 $2.15

$0.68 ฿21.92

216.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.40 ฿12.70

237.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.51 ฿80.4

95.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 $5.34

$3.80 ฿122

40.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$2.16 ฿69.3

-64.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.88 ฿60.3

20.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.16 ฿69.2

81.94%

Eggs

$3.31 $3.31

$2.22 ฿71.2

49.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.49 $10.49

$19.57 ฿627

-46.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.53 $9.53

$3.80 ฿122

150.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.34 $15.34

$13.41 ฿430

14.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$3.26 ฿104

31.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.61 ฿51.7

-18.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.31 ฿74.0

-3.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$2.06 ฿66.0

98.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.61 ฿51.5

26.09%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.44 ฿46.26

111.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.03 ฿33.01

68.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.48 ฿15.39

191.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.30 $8.30

$4.50 ฿144

84.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.33 $11.33

$19.18 ฿615

-40.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.82 ฿58.4

3.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.69 ฿86.2

-32.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 $0.98

$1.38 ฿44.16

-28.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.18 $30.18

$11.76 ฿377

156.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.11 ฿99.6

21.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.00 ฿32.18

4.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.74 $17.74

$13.74 ฿441

29.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.30 ฿41.61

-38.46%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$27.4K ฿877.0K

7.47%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-23.09%

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

$121 $121

$125 ฿4,004

-3.16%

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

$56.5 $56.5

$13.74 ฿440

310.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.2 $57.2

$18.61 ฿597

207.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.41 $39.41

$60.6 ฿1,941

-34.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.15 $10.15

$17.15 ฿550

-40.82%

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 $11.84

$9.01 ฿289

31.41%

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

$1,535 $1,535

$698 ฿22.4K

119.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K $17.1K

$16.1K ฿516.5K

6.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.50 $40.50

$59.2 ฿1,898

-31.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.72 $40.72

$34.86 ฿1,118

16.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 $90.3

$114 ฿3,662

-20.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$85.8 ฿2,751

20.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,581 $1,581

$619 ฿19.8K

155.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,321 $1,321

$437 ฿14.0K

202.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,229 $2,229

$2,075 ฿66.5K

7.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 $1,740

$1,509 ฿48.4K

15.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,180 $2,180

$3,764 ฿120.7K

-42.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,134 $2,134

$2,694 ฿86.4K

-20.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,636 $3,636

$528 ฿16.9K

588.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.33

22.70%

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

Last update for Bloomington, IN: April 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,581 in Bloomington, IN versus $619 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 588% higher in Bloomington, IN, 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 $59 in Bloomington, IN versus $47 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $315 vs $292 – 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, IN vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bloomington, IN is pricier by about 88%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,519 per month in Bloomington, IN and $1,870 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 157% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,535 per month in Bloomington, IN and $698 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 $1,247, than in Bloomington, IN at $2,346. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bloomington, IN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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