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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,665 per month in Decatur, IL vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,517 per month in Decatur, IL vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,368 per month in Decatur, IL vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Decatur, IL costs about 32% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Decatur, IL sits 24% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.46 $19.46

$4.70 ฿153

314.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.3 $66.3

$45.37 ฿1,482

46.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 $8.76

$8.43 ฿275

3.91%

Cappuccino

$5.03 $5.03

$2.93 ฿95.6

71.67%

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

$2.20 $2.20

$0.69 ฿22.40

218.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$0.37 ฿11.99

351.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.41 ฿78.6

110.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.15 $6.15

$3.72 ฿122

65.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$2.23 ฿72.9

-62.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.83 ฿59.8

38.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.17 ฿70.8

-5.99%

Eggs

$3.56 $3.56

$2.21 ฿72.3

61.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.92 $8.92

$19.74 ฿645

-54.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.53 $7.53

$3.63 ฿119

107.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 $13.22

$13.53 ฿442

-2.29%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.28 ฿107

35.37%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.61 ฿52.6

34.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.41 ฿78.6

81.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.08 ฿68.1

60.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.53 ฿49.93

-39.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.48 ฿48.36

-24.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 $1.46

$0.99 ฿32.29

47.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$0.51 ฿16.67

396.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.20 $7.20

$4.41 ฿144

63.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.92 $14.92

$19.38 ฿633

-23.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.78 ฿58.1

2.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.71 ฿88.6

-25.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.37 ฿44.79

48.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.02 ฿98.6

0.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.99 ฿32.48

42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.85 $28.85

$14.10 ฿461

104.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.36 ฿44.51

-40.44%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

4.97%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-22.69%

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

$85.5 $85.5

$122 ฿3,975

-29.73%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$13.57 ฿443

349.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.9 $62.9

$18.31 ฿598

243.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.6 $75.6

$60.2 ฿1,967

25.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$11.80 $11.80

$8.69 ฿284

35.79%

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

$1,297 $1,297

$693 ฿22.6K

86.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

49.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 $57.0

$59.5 ฿1,944

-4.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.79 $42.79

$34.77 ฿1,136

23.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 $76.3

$115 ฿3,743

-33.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$193 $193

$83.3 ฿2,720

131.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$875 $875

$613 ฿20.0K

42.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$571 $571

$437 ฿14.3K

30.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 $1,018

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-51.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$825 $825

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-45.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$956 $956

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-74.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$940 $940

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-64.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,486 $4,486

$508 ฿16.6K

782.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

5.33

23.08%

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

Last update for Decatur, IL: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $875 in Decatur, IL 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 783% 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 $66.0 in Decatur, IL versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 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

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

Yes – Decatur, IL is pricier by about 32%, 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 $2,498 per month in Decatur, IL 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $66.0 in Decatur, IL and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $1,265, than in Decatur, IL at $1,665. 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.