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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,147 per month in Champaign, IL vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,129 per month in Champaign, IL vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,110 per month in Champaign, IL vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Champaign, IL costs about 71% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Champaign, IL sits 56% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 $14.82

$4.56 ฿150

225.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.1 $61.1

$32.62 ฿1,073

87.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.93 $9.93

$8.90 ฿293

11.57%

Cappuccino

$4.86 $4.86

$2.80 ฿92.2

73.57%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$0.88 ฿28.94

153.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$0.49 ฿16.08

246.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.63 $5.63

$2.39 ฿78.5

135.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.59 $5.59

$3.71 ฿122

50.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.79 ฿58.8

-54.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.44 ฿47.40

122.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.58 ฿52.1

95.57%

Eggs

$3.96 $3.96

$2.13 ฿69.9

85.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.34 $12.34

$19.92 ฿655

-38.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.97 $5.97

$3.43 ฿113

74.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 $12.80

$11.33 ฿372

12.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$2.95 ฿97.0

13.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.72 ฿56.6

-19.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.32 ฿76.5

34.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.08 ฿68.4

117.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.47 ฿48.34

44.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.36 ฿44.65

64.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.10 ฿36.13

101.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.57 ฿18.89

119.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.07 $10.07

$4.27 ฿140

135.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.89 $14.89

$18.42 ฿606

-19.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.87 ฿61.5

9.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.92 ฿96.1

39.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.22 ฿73.0

-54.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.05 $20.05

$22.90 ฿753

-12.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.03 ฿99.6

-15.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.07 ฿35.32

43.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.49 ฿49.06

-26.17%

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

$35.4K $35.4K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

30.38%

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

$32.6K $32.6K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

18.60%

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

$239 $239

$103 ฿3,380

132.06%

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

$44.38 $44.38

$10.99 ฿361

303.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$17.51 ฿576

294.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.20 $25.20

$53.5 ฿1,760

-52.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.88 $11.88

$11.20 ฿368

6.07%

Cinema Ticket

$11.29 $11.29

$7.48 ฿246

50.94%

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

$1,004 $1,004

$557 ฿18.3K

80.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K $19.8K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

66.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.78 $47.78

$64.1 ฿2,107

-25.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$96.0 ฿3,155

21.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$90.3 ฿2,970

33.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$730 ฿24.0K

101.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,000 $1,000

$500 ฿16.4K

99.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,970 $1,970

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-5.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,680 $1,680

$1,209 ฿39.8K

38.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,716 $1,716

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-52.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,683 $1,683

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-33.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,674 $3,674

$503 ฿16.6K

629.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

5.57

14.18%

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

Last update for Champaign, IL: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,474 in Champaign, IL versus $730 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 630% higher in Champaign, 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 $61.0 in Champaign, IL versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $316 vs $273 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,147 in Champaign, IL, $1,253 in Phuket – roughly 71% apart. Champaign, IL costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,221 per month in Champaign, IL and $1,880 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 16% more in Champaign, IL, 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 $61.0 in Champaign, IL and $33.00 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 $1,253, than in Champaign, IL at $2,147. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Champaign, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,253 in Phuket to $2,147 in Champaign, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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