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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,068 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,648 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,229 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Chicago, IL costs about 145% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Chicago, IL sits 130% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.17 $20.17

$4.55 ฿153

343.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$46.18 ฿1,554

115.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.23 $12.23

$8.84 ฿298

38.35%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$3.06 ฿103

83.01%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$0.73 ฿24.42

327.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.40 ฿13.40

507.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$2.43 ฿81.8

185.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$3.78 ฿127

116.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.26 ฿76.0

-52.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$1.81 ฿60.9

119.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$2.25 ฿75.8

148.00%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$2.25 ฿75.6

98.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 $14.50

$19.51 ฿656

-25.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.08 $15.08

$3.65 ฿123

313.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.34 $19.34

$13.05 ฿439

48.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$3.23 ฿109

66.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.62 ฿54.4

8.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.38 ฿80.2

81.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.03 ฿68.2

117.24%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.53 ฿51.6

66.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.50 ฿50.5

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 $2.49

$0.98 ฿32.93

154.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$0.52 ฿17.40

400.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.80 $14.80

$4.44 ฿149

233.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.18 $15.18

$18.32 ฿616

-17.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.86 ฿62.7

32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.68 ฿90.2

34.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.41 ฿47.49

80.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.3 $76.3

$11.70 ฿394

551.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.11 ฿105

6.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.04 ฿35.08

32.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.36 $25.36

$14.11 ฿475

79.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.31 ฿44.13

-16.79%

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

$31.6K $31.6K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

13.78%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-20.03%

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

$186 $186

$122 ฿4,120

51.91%

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

$62.9 $62.9

$13.59 ฿457

362.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.2 $66.2

$18.70 ฿629

253.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.6 $77.6

$60.5 ฿2,035

28.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.16 $13.16

$16.98 ฿572

-22.50%

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$9.07 ฿305

62.51%

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

$2,039 $2,039

$706 ฿23.8K

188.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.9K $39.9K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

152.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.9 $63.9

$58.6 ฿1,970

9.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$35.36 ฿1,190

44.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 $95.2

$115 ฿3,885

-17.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$83.7 ฿2,818

71.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,305 $2,305

$626 ฿21.1K

268.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$445 ฿15.0K

253.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,688 $4,688

$2,040 ฿68.7K

129.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,737 $2,737

$1,492 ฿50.2K

83.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,063 $4,063

$3,483 ฿117.2K

16.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,696 $2,696

$2,577 ฿86.7K

4.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,019 $5,019

$500 ฿16.8K

904.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

5.33

23.83%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,305 in Chicago, IL versus $626 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 904% higher in Chicago, 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 $99.0 in Chicago, IL versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $448 vs $289 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,068 in Chicago, IL, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 145% apart. Chicago, IL costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,602 per month in Chicago, IL and $1,875 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 55% more in Chicago, 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 $99.0 in Chicago, IL and $46.00 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 $1,250, than in Chicago, IL at $3,068. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,250 in Phuket to $3,068 in Chicago, 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, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.