Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Des Plaines, IL and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,139 in Des Plaines, IL versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,292 in Des Plaines, IL versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,445 in Des Plaines, IL versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Des Plaines, IL is roughly 150% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Des Plaines, IL is 128% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.61 $19.61

$4.56 ฿150

330.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.9 $89.9

$32.62 ฿1,073

175.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.03 $13.03

$8.90 ฿293

46.40%

Cappuccino

$5.72 $5.72

$2.80 ฿92.2

104.29%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$0.88 ฿28.94

204.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.49 ฿16.08

367.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$2.39 ฿78.5

189.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.64 $7.64

$3.71 ฿122

105.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.79 ฿58.8

-44.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.44 ฿47.40

154.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$1.58 ฿52.1

198.10%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$2.13 ฿69.9

89.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$19.92 ฿655

-24.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$3.43 ฿113

291.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.88 $19.88

$11.33 ฿372

75.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.95 ฿97.0

69.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.72 ฿56.6

-3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.32 ฿76.5

75.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.08 ฿68.4

134.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.47 ฿48.34

91.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.36 ฿44.65

104.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.10 ฿36.13

90.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.57 ฿18.89

331.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.52 $10.52

$4.27 ฿140

146.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$18.42 ฿606

-18.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.87 ฿61.5

35.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.92 ฿96.1

16.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.22 ฿73.0

-9.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.3 $59.3

$22.90 ฿753

158.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.03 ฿99.6

4.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.07 ฿35.32

28.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.51 $22.51

$3.93 ฿129

472.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.49 ฿49.06

-32.89%

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

$36.6K $36.6K

$27.1K ฿892.0K

34.80%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$27.5K ฿902.6K

-7.13%

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

$193 $193

$103 ฿3,380

87.61%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$10.99 ฿361

441.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 $78.2

$17.51 ฿576

346.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$122 $122

$53.5 ฿1,760

128.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.05 $40.05

$11.20 ฿368

257.59%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$7.48 ฿246

98.26%

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

$1,559 $1,559

$557 ฿18.3K

179.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$11.9K ฿389.7K

94.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$64.1 ฿2,107

0.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 $50.7

$29.07 ฿956

74.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$96.0 ฿3,155

7.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$90.3 ฿2,970

33.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,619 $1,619

$500 ฿16.4K

223.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,228 $2,228

$1,209 ฿39.8K

84.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,275 $3,275

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-8.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,480 $2,480

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-1.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,177 $6,177

$503 ฿16.6K

1127.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

5.57

14.54%

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

Last update for Des Plaines, IL: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Des Plaines, IL pays 1127% 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: $90.0 in Des Plaines, IL vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 vs $273 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 Plaines, IL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Des Plaines, IL and Phuket differ by about 150% in total monthly costs ($3,139 vs $1,253 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1127% higher in Des Plaines, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Des Plaines, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $90.0 in Des Plaines, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $3,139 in Des Plaines, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Des Plaines, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Des Plaines, IL 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 150% less than in Des Plaines, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.