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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,705 per month in Edwardsville, IL vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,925 per month in Edwardsville, IL vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,146 per month in Edwardsville, IL vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Edwardsville, IL costs about 114% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Edwardsville, IL sits 96% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.23 $17.23

$4.66 ฿153

269.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.9 $75.9

$32.22 ฿1,060

135.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.71 $11.71

$8.68 ฿286

34.91%

Cappuccino

$6.09 $6.09

$2.90 ฿95.4

110.00%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$0.84 ฿27.78

244.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.49 ฿16.10

312.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$2.48 ฿81.7

177.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.42 $7.42

$3.73 ฿123

98.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.89 ฿62.0

-42.86%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.41 ฿46.36

121.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$1.62 ฿53.4

202.47%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$2.24 ฿73.8

75.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.85 $13.85

$19.84 ฿653

-30.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.54 $11.54

$3.48 ฿114

231.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.98 $18.98

$11.37 ฿374

66.93%

Apples (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$2.90 ฿95.4

88.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.72 ฿56.8

-0.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.27 ฿74.8

98.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$2.13 ฿70.2

123.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.47 ฿48.53

65.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.42 ฿46.73

90.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.10 ฿36.11

71.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.60 ฿19.68

271.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.06 $11.06

$4.31 ฿142

156.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.35 $15.35

$18.60 ฿612

-17.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.80 ฿59.3

12.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.97 ฿97.6

2.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.25 ฿73.9

-10.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 $101

$23.49 ฿773

328.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.10 ฿102

-9.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.08 ฿35.42

69.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.05 $33.05

$3.87 ฿127

754.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.43 ฿46.97

-42.66%

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

$30.8K $30.8K

$27.8K ฿914.4K

10.95%

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

$29.0K $29.0K

$27.0K ฿888.0K

7.44%

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

$204 $204

$105 ฿3,449

94.78%

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

$57.1 $57.1

$11.39 ฿375

400.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.2 $70.2

$17.54 ฿577

300.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.89 $40.89

$54.3 ฿1,788

-24.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿377

Cinema Ticket

$13.89 $13.89

$7.78 ฿256

78.53%

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

$1,422 $1,422

$576 ฿19.0K

146.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$11.6K ฿381.2K

107.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 $53.4

$63.6 ฿2,094

-16.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.07 $42.07

$29.10 ฿958

44.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 $88.6

$96.2 ฿3,167

-7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$90.0 ฿2,962

28.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 $1,381

$733 ฿24.1K

88.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,313 $1,313

$501 ฿16.5K

162.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,790 $2,790

$2,126 ฿70.0K

31.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,067 $2,067

$1,252 ฿41.2K

65.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,343 $2,343

$3,534 ฿116.3K

-33.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,105 $2,105

$2,622 ฿86.3K

-19.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,932 $4,932

$508 ฿16.7K

871.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

5.57

9.87%

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

Last update for Edwardsville, IL: September 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,381 in Edwardsville, IL versus $733 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 872% higher in Edwardsville, 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 $76.0 in Edwardsville, IL versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $275 – 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

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

Yes – Edwardsville, IL is pricier by about 114%, 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 $4,057 per month in Edwardsville, 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,705 in Edwardsville, IL and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 329% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Edwardsville, IL at $2,705. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Edwardsville, 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, Edwardsville, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.