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 $1,794 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,653 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,513 per month in Dubuque, IA vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

Dubuque, IA costs about 43% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Dubuque, IA sits 31% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.30 $16.30

$4.56 ฿150

257.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$32.62 ฿1,072

53.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 $9.95

$8.90 ฿293

11.80%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$2.80 ฿92.2

79.29%

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

$2.04 $2.04

$0.88 ฿28.93

131.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 $1.02

$0.49 ฿16.08

108.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.39 ฿78.5

23.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.58 $4.58

$3.71 ฿122

23.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.79 ฿58.7

-54.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.44 ฿47.38

88.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$1.58 ฿52.1

116.46%

Eggs

$2.78 $2.78

$2.13 ฿69.9

30.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.14 $10.14

$19.92 ฿655

-49.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 $10.42

$3.43 ฿113

203.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.22 $15.22

$11.33 ฿372

34.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.95 ฿96.9

14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.72 ฿56.6

-28.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.32 ฿76.4

43.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.08 ฿68.4

14.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.47 ฿48.33

-4.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.36 ฿44.64

19.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.10 ฿36.12

111.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.57 ฿18.89

212.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.05 $9.05

$4.27 ฿140

111.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.46 $13.46

$18.42 ฿605

-26.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.87 ฿61.5

7.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.92 ฿96.0

-7.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.03 ฿99.6

-9.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.07 ฿35.31

47.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.81 $20.81

$3.93 ฿129

429.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$1.49 ฿49.04

-40.27%

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

$35.7K $35.7K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

31.46%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-6.72%

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

$204 $204

$103 ฿3,379

98.41%

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

$67.9 $67.9

$10.99 ฿361

517.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$17.51 ฿576

276.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.36 $37.36

$53.5 ฿1,760

-30.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.88 $7.88

$7.48 ฿246

5.35%

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

$784 $784

$557 ฿18.3K

40.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

106.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.6 $54.6

$64.1 ฿2,106

-14.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.33 $35.33

$29.07 ฿956

21.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.2 $88.2

$96.0 ฿3,154

-8.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.7 $90.7

$90.3 ฿2,970

0.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 $1,006

$730 ฿24.0K

37.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 $723

$500 ฿16.4K

44.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,456 $1,456

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-30.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 $1,190

$1,209 ฿39.7K

-1.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,754 $1,754

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-51.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,691 $1,691

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-32.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,766 $3,766

$503 ฿16.5K

648.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.25

5.57

-5.75%

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

Last update for Dubuque, IA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Dubuque, IA versus $730 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 648% 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 $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $318 vs $273 – 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 43% 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 $2,690 per month in Dubuque, IA and $1,880 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,794 in Dubuque, IA and $1,253 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $784 per month in Dubuque, IA and $557 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 $1,253, than in Dubuque, IA at $1,794. 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 $1,253 versus $1,794 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.