Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Moines, IA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,172 in Des Moines, IA versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,288 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,404 in Des Moines, IA versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Des Moines, IA is roughly 76% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Moines, IA is 59% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.90 $19.90

$4.41 ฿147

351.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.1 $81.1

$32.26 ฿1,074

151.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$8.93 ฿297

36.73%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$2.90 ฿96.4

106.21%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$0.88 ฿29.30

247.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.48 ฿16.01

433.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.35 ฿78.3

114.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 $5.66

$3.72 ฿124

52.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.87 ฿62.1

-51.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.47 ฿48.81

97.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$1.55 ฿51.7

109.68%

Eggs

$3.98 $3.98

$2.10 ฿70.0

89.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.35 $9.35

$19.59 ฿652

-52.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.44 $9.44

$3.42 ฿114

176.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.77 $13.77

$11.38 ฿379

21.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$2.98 ฿99.3

45.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.68 ฿56.1

-9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.21 ฿73.5

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.16 ฿72.0

68.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.52 ฿50.8

106.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.34 ฿44.55

64.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.41 $2.41

$1.13 ฿37.57

113.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.18 $2.18

$0.55 ฿18.19

296.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.86 $7.86

$4.26 ฿142

84.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.08 $15.08

$19.09 ฿635

-21.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.78 ฿59.2

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.78 ฿92.6

6.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.23 ฿74.2

-20.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.0 $59.0

$22.74 ฿757

159.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 $1.98

$3.03 ฿101

-34.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.02 ฿34.06

19.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.89 $19.89

$3.89 ฿130

411.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.49 ฿49.63

-36.91%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$26.6K ฿884.9K

33.94%

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

$24.9K $24.9K

$27.0K ฿899.8K

-8.04%

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

$189 $189

$102 ฿3,411

83.96%

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

$52.0 $52.0

$11.33 ฿377

359.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 $70.0

$17.40 ฿579

302.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 $63.7

$52.1 ฿1,734

22.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.91 $19.91

$11.07 ฿369

79.86%

Cinema Ticket

$15.14 $15.14

$7.69 ฿256

96.88%

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

$1,178 $1,178

$561 ฿18.7K

110.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K $11.8K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

2.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 $60.7

$63.0 ฿2,098

-3.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.97 $42.97

$29.52 ฿983

45.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$98.0 ฿3,263

3.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$88.5 ฿2,946

65.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 $1,182

$738 ฿24.6K

60.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$869 $869

$482 ฿16.1K

80.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 $1,746

$2,107 ฿70.1K

-17.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$1,226 ฿40.8K

16.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,294 $2,294

$3,617 ฿120.4K

-36.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 $2,290

$2,603 ฿86.7K

-12.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,920 $3,920

$494 ฿16.4K

694.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

5.57

8.26%

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

Last update for Des Moines, IA: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,182 in Des Moines, IA and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 694% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Des Moines, IA vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $274 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Des Moines, IA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 76% lower than in Des Moines, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 694% higher in Des Moines, IA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,182 in Des Moines, IA versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $81.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,172 per month in Des Moines, IA versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 76% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,172 in Des Moines, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Des Moines, IA and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.