Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Decatur, IL and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,207 a month against $1,725 in Decatur, IL, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

84

Cost of Living Index in Decatur, IL
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Decatur, IL Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Decatur, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$1,725

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,207

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Decatur, IL and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Decatur, IL and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,725 per month in Decatur, IL vs $1,207 in Phuket, rent included.

Decatur, IL $1,725
Phuket $1,207

A couple spends around $2,654 per month in Decatur, IL vs $2,037 in Phuket, rent included.

Decatur, IL $2,654
Phuket $2,037

A family of three spends $3,582 per month in Decatur, IL vs $2,867 in Phuket, rent included.

Decatur, IL $3,582
Phuket $2,867

Decatur, IL costs about 43% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Decatur, IL sits 28% above the global median, while Phuket is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.96 $19.96

$4.58 ฿153

335.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.4 $83.4

$32.48 ฿1,086

156.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.74 $8.74

$8.55 ฿286

2.22%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$2.72 ฿91.0

98.90%

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

$2.24 $2.24

$0.94 ฿31.25

138.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.49 ฿16.39

238.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 $5.02

$2.59 ฿86.6

93.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.12 $6.12

$3.83 ฿128

59.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.74 ฿58.1

-22.99%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.43 ฿47.82

113.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.53 ฿51.0

32.68%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.17 ฿72.7

118.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 $13.87

$19.15 ฿640

-27.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.86 $14.86

$3.30 ฿110

350.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.08 $13.08

$11.14 ฿372

17.41%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.95 ฿98.5

46.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.68 ฿56.1

20.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.30 ฿76.8

75.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.13 ฿71.3

53.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.53 ฿51.1

-40.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.36 ฿45.55

-19.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.12 ฿37.44

32.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$0.55 ฿18.24

458.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.87 $15.87

$4.26 ฿142

272.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$18.19 ฿608

-18.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.74 ฿58.2

26.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.79 ฿93.3

-28.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.06 ฿737

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.91 ฿97.3

8.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.01 ฿33.79

40.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.28 $25.28

$3.83 ฿128

560.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.49 ฿49.85

-22.15%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$26.7K ฿891.6K

38.51%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$26.7K ฿892.7K

-4.50%

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

$85.6 $85.6

$99.4 ฿3,321

-13.83%

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

$67.2 $67.2

$11.28 ฿377

495.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$17.36 ฿580

246.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.7 $74.7

$52.3 ฿1,747

42.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.85 ฿362

Cinema Ticket

$11.82 $11.82

$7.57 ฿253

56.14%

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

$1,525 $1,525

$558 ฿18.7K

173.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K $32.0K

$11.5K ฿383.9K

178.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.1 $68.1

$62.9 ฿2,102

8.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 $51.5

$28.58 ฿955

80.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$96.1 ฿3,213

5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$88.1 ฿2,943

63.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$867 $867

$729 ฿24.4K

18.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 $551

$460 ฿15.4K

19.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$993 $993

$2,096 ฿70.0K

-52.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$805 $805

$1,222 ฿40.8K

-34.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$940 $940

$3,459 ฿115.6K

-72.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$941 $941

$2,489 ฿83.2K

-62.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,599 $4,599

$493 ฿16.5K

832.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

5.57

21.54%

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

Last update for Decatur, IL: October 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Decatur, IL

$551 31.9%

Phuket

$460 38.1% 16.5% $91

Groceries & Markets

Decatur, IL

$385 22.3%

Phuket

$268 22.2% 30.4% $117

Eating Out

Decatur, IL

$304 17.6%

Phuket

$121 10.1% 60.1% $182

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Decatur, IL

$213 12.3%

Phuket

$128 10.6% 39.9% $85

Clothing & Footwear

Decatur, IL

$164 9.5%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 24.5% $40

Sport & Entertainment

Decatur, IL

$98 5.7%

Phuket

$67 5.6% 31.4% $31

Getting Around

Decatur, IL

$10 * 0.6%

Phuket

$39 3.2% 278% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $867 in Decatur, IL versus $729 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 833% higher in Decatur, 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 $83.0 in Decatur, IL versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $385 vs $268 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Decatur, IL

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

15:27 3:27 PM

03:27 3:27 AM

12 h ahead of Decatur, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

77,047

79,308

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Decatur, IL Phuket 14,650 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Decatur, IL
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Decatur, IL is pricier by about 43%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,588 per month in Decatur, IL and $1,811 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in Decatur, IL and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 44% more in Decatur, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,207, than in Decatur, IL at $1,725. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Decatur, IL 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, Decatur, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.