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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,560 in Effingham, IL versus $1,270 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,554 in Effingham, IL versus $2,304 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,549 in Effingham, IL versus $3,339 in Phuket.

Living in Effingham, IL is roughly 102% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Effingham, IL is 91% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.07 $15.07

$4.66 ฿150

223.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.36 $45.36

$46.44 ฿1,496

-2.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$8.68 ฿280

13.13%

Cappuccino

$5.36 $5.36

$2.95 ฿95.0

81.69%

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

$2.40 $2.40

$0.70 ฿22.52

242.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.39 ฿12.70

397.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.53 ฿81.6

98.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$3.78 ฿122

87.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 $0.55

$2.22 ฿71.5

-75.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.73 $2.73

$1.80 ฿57.8

51.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$2.19 ฿70.4

96.35%

Eggs

$3.07 $3.07

$2.31 ฿74.5

32.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.73 $15.73

$19.34 ฿623

-18.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.00 $11.00

$3.77 ฿121

191.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 $14.24

$13.22 ฿426

7.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.33 ฿107

65.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.65 ฿53.1

-8.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$2.29 ฿73.7

85.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.77 $5.77

$1.99 ฿64.1

189.95%

Potato (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.53 ฿49.24

45.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 $1.08

$1.51 ฿48.77

-28.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.03 ฿33.12

83.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.51 ฿16.57

296.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.77 $8.77

$4.41 ฿142

98.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 $12.08

$19.41 ฿625

-37.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$1.80 ฿58.0

44.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.68 ฿86.4

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.43 ฿46.11

42.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.82 $2.82

$3.04 ฿97.9

-7.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.04 ฿33.37

31.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.62 $29.62

$13.68 ฿441

116.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.30 ฿41.85

-36.15%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

24.84%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-19.35%

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

$238 $238

$123 ฿3,962

93.48%

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

$45.30 $45.30

$13.82 ฿445

227.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$18.86 ฿608

225.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.69 $43.69

$61.2 ฿1,970

-28.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 $12.08

$8.87 ฿286

36.19%

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

$1,247 $1,247

$696 ฿22.4K

79.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K $13.5K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

-16.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.47 $44.47

$59.3 ฿1,910

-24.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 $35.35

$34.85 ฿1,123

1.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.4 $83.4

$113 ฿3,646

-26.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.4 $65.4

$85.1 ฿2,740

-23.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$615 ฿19.8K

160.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,334 $1,334

$448 ฿14.4K

197.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$2,085 ฿67.2K

26.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,184 $2,184

$1,496 ฿48.2K

45.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,342 $2,342

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-37.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,582 $2,582

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-3.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.61

5.33

24.02%

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

Last update for Effingham, IL: April 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Effingham, IL and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45 in Effingham, IL vs $46 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $374 vs $291, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Effingham, IL and Phuket differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($2,560 vs $1,270 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,840 in Effingham, IL and $1,904 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,602 in Effingham, IL versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Effingham, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,560 per month in Effingham, IL versus $1,270 in Phuket – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,560 in Effingham, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Effingham, 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, Effingham, 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 102% less than in Effingham, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.