Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,049 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,037 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,025 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Cedar Rapids, IA costs about 62% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Cedar Rapids, IA sits 53% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.15 $15.15

$4.70 ฿153

222.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.3 $71.3

$45.37 ฿1,482

57.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.53 $10.53

$8.43 ฿275

24.91%

Cappuccino

$5.26 $5.26

$2.93 ฿95.6

79.52%

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

$1.95 $1.95

$0.69 ฿22.40

182.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.37 ฿11.99

305.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.52 $4.52

$2.41 ฿78.6

87.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.88 $5.88

$3.72 ฿122

58.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$2.23 ฿72.9

-61.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.83 ฿59.8

58.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$2.17 ฿70.8

109.22%

Eggs

$3.08 $3.08

$2.21 ฿72.3

39.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.01 $14.01

$19.74 ฿645

-29.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.99 $10.99

$3.63 ฿119

202.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.87 $15.87

$13.53 ฿442

17.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$3.28 ฿107

36.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.61 ฿52.6

-24.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.33 $5.33

$2.41 ฿78.6

121.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.08 ฿68.1

125.48%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.53 ฿49.93

70.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.48 ฿48.36

50.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.99 ฿32.29

106.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.51 ฿16.67

286.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.35 $9.35

$4.41 ฿144

112.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 $10.87

$19.38 ฿633

-43.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.78 ฿58.1

27.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.71 ฿88.6

22.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.37 ฿44.79

28.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.78 $29.78

$11.39 ฿372

161.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.02 ฿98.6

17.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$0.99 ฿32.48

90.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.80 $41.80

$14.10 ฿461

196.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.36 ฿44.51

-38.24%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-11.14%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-23.72%

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

$205 $205

$122 ฿3,975

68.47%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$13.57 ฿443

282.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.7 $70.7

$18.31 ฿598

286.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$101 $101

$60.2 ฿1,967

67.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$12.60 $12.60

$8.69 ฿284

44.99%

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

$987 $987

$693 ฿22.6K

42.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

55.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.6 $62.6

$59.5 ฿1,944

5.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.41 $48.41

$34.77 ฿1,136

39.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$115 ฿3,743

-11.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$83.3 ฿2,720

58.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 $1,095

$613 ฿20.0K

78.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$743 $743

$437 ฿14.3K

69.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 $1,801

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-13.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,210 $1,210

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-19.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,533 $1,533

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-59.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,526 $1,526

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-41.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,697 $3,697

$508 ฿16.6K

627.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

5.33

21.76%

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

Last update for Cedar Rapids, IA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,095 in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $613 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 628% higher in Cedar Rapids, IA, 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 $71.0 in Cedar Rapids, IA versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $293 – 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

Cedar Rapids, IA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cedar Rapids, IA is pricier by about 62%, 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 $3,073 per month in Cedar Rapids, IA and $1,898 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.

Groceries cost about 27% more in Cedar Rapids, IA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Cedar Rapids, IA and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Cedar Rapids, IA at $2,049. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cedar Rapids, IA 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, Cedar Rapids, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.