Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubuque, IA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Dubuque, IA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,824 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,538 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,251 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Dubuque, IA costs about 44% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dubuque, IA sits 36% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.57 $15.57

$4.70 ฿154

231.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.67 $49.67

$45.37 ฿1,489

9.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 $9.90

$8.43 ฿277

17.44%

Cappuccino

$4.74 $4.74

$2.93 ฿96.1

61.77%

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

$2.05 $2.05

$0.69 ฿22.50

197.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 $1.03

$0.37 ฿12.04

178.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.41 ฿79.0

27.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.72 ฿122

19.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.23 ฿73.3

-62.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 $2.39

$1.83 ฿60.1

30.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.17 ฿71.1

44.70%

Eggs

$2.76 $2.76

$2.21 ฿72.6

24.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.95 $9.95

$19.74 ฿648

-49.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 $10.23

$3.63 ฿119

181.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.08 $14.08

$13.53 ฿444

4.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 $3.55

$3.28 ฿108

8.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.61 ฿52.9

-27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$2.41 ฿79.0

51.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.08 ฿68.4

62.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.53 ฿50.2

13.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.48 ฿48.58

49.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.99 ฿32.44

97.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.51 ฿16.74

300.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.31 $8.31

$4.41 ฿145

88.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.27 $13.27

$19.38 ฿636

-31.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.78 ฿58.4

7.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.71 ฿89.0

0.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.37 ฿44.99

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.25 $44.25

$11.39 ฿374

288.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.02 ฿99.1

-4.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.99 ฿32.63

60.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.22 $21.22

$14.10 ฿463

50.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.36 ฿44.71

-37.50%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

5.39%

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

$22.3K $22.3K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-32.10%

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

$184 $184

$122 ฿3,993

50.99%

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

$48.46 $48.46

$13.57 ฿445

257.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.5 $62.5

$18.31 ฿601

241.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.93 $37.93

$60.2 ฿1,976

-37.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$8.59 $8.59

$8.69 ฿285

-1.15%

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

$796 $796

$693 ฿22.8K

14.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

51.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.57 $42.57

$59.5 ฿1,953

-28.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.54 $34.54

$34.77 ฿1,141

-0.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 $78.7

$115 ฿3,760

-31.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.4 $90.4

$83.3 ฿2,733

8.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 $957

$613 ฿20.1K

56.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$742 $742

$437 ฿14.3K

69.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 $1,388

$2,094 ฿68.7K

-33.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$987 $987

$1,509 ฿49.5K

-34.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,691 $1,691

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-54.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,713 $1,713

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-34.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,717 $3,717

$508 ฿16.7K

631.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.88

5.33

-8.44%

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

Last update for Dubuque, IA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $957 in Dubuque, IA 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 632% higher in Dubuque, IA, 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 $50.0 in Dubuque, IA versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $319 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

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

Dubuque, IA costs about 44% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,736 per month in Dubuque, IA 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.

Public transport costs about 288% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $796 per month in Dubuque, IA and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Dubuque, IA at $1,824. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubuque, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $1,824 in Dubuque, IA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Dubuque, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.