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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,442 in Carbondale, IL versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,513 in Carbondale, IL versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,585 in Carbondale, IL versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Carbondale, IL is roughly 93% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Carbondale, IL is 82% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.68 $16.68

$4.70 ฿154

254.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.83 $31.83

$45.37 ฿1,489

-29.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 $8.08

$8.43 ฿277

-4.15%

Cappuccino

$2.92 $2.92

$2.93 ฿96.1

-0.34%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$0.69 ฿22.50

182.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.37 ฿12.04

310.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.47 $4.47

$2.41 ฿79.0

85.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 $5.36

$3.72 ฿122

44.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.23 ฿73.3

-63.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.83 ฿60.1

58.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.17 ฿71.1

107.83%

Eggs

$4.06 $4.06

$2.21 ฿72.6

83.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.31 $11.31

$19.74 ฿648

-42.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.89 $10.89

$3.63 ฿119

200.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.60 $15.60

$13.53 ฿444

15.30%

Apples (1kg)

$6.25 $6.25

$3.28 ฿108

90.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.61 ฿52.9

Oranges (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$2.41 ฿79.0

126.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.08 ฿68.4

137.98%

Potato (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$1.53 ฿50.2

235.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.48 ฿48.58

139.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.99 ฿32.44

137.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.51 ฿16.74

376.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.77 $7.77

$4.41 ฿145

76.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.81 $13.81

$19.38 ฿636

-28.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.78 ฿58.4

-3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.71 ฿89.0

-29.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.37 ฿44.99

43.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 $2.04

$3.02 ฿99.1

-32.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$0.99 ฿32.63

35.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.83 $19.83

$14.10 ฿463

40.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.36 ฿44.71

-38.24%

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

$32.6K $32.6K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

15.51%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-17.74%

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

$119 $119

$122 ฿3,993

-1.98%

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

$59.4 $59.4

$13.57 ฿445

338.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.64 $29.64

$18.31 ฿601

61.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.76 $43.76

$60.2 ฿1,976

-27.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$12.67 $12.67

$8.69 ฿285

45.80%

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

$1,545 $1,545

$693 ฿22.8K

122.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.7K $27.7K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

76.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.73 $39.73

$59.5 ฿1,953

-33.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.02 $32.02

$34.77 ฿1,141

-7.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 $75.2

$115 ฿3,760

-34.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$83.3 ฿2,733

67.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$613 ฿20.1K

162.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,333 $1,333

$437 ฿14.3K

204.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,649 $2,649

$2,094 ฿68.7K

26.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,246 $2,246

$1,509 ฿49.5K

48.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$863 $863

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-76.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$833 $833

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-68.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,781 $3,781

$508 ฿16.7K

644.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.33

22.51%

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

Last update for Carbondale, IL: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Carbondale, IL and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Carbondale, IL pays 644% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Carbondale, IL vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $395 vs $293, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 93% lower than in Carbondale, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Carbondale, IL pays 644% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,608 in Carbondale, IL versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in Carbondale, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,442 per month in Carbondale, IL versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,442 in Carbondale, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Carbondale, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Carbondale, IL 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Carbondale, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.