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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,049 in Elgin, IL versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,589 in Elgin, IL versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,129 in Elgin, IL versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Elgin, IL costs roughly 17% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Elgin, IL 24% lower, Phuket 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.61 $19.61

$4.66 ฿154

320.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 $60.6

$32.22 ฿1,066

87.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.05 $10.05

$8.68 ฿287

15.78%

Cappuccino

$4.01 $4.01

$2.90 ฿95.9

38.28%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$0.84 ฿27.91

263.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.49 ฿16.17

304.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$2.48 ฿82.1

142.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 $4.96

$3.73 ฿123

32.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$1.89 ฿62.3

-53.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.41 ฿46.58

157.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.88 $4.88

$1.62 ฿53.6

201.23%

Eggs

$3.92 $3.92

$2.24 ฿74.1

75.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$19.84 ฿656

-43.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.42 $13.42

$3.48 ฿115

285.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.00 $12.00

$11.37 ฿376

5.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.90 ฿95.9

52.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.72 ฿57.0

-22.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.27 ฿75.2

14.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.13 ฿70.5

97.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.47 ฿48.77

31.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.42 ฿46.96

40.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.10 ฿36.29

65.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.60 ฿19.78

293.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.80 $10.80

$4.31 ฿142

150.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.56 $15.56

$18.60 ฿615

-16.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.80 ฿59.6

50.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.97 ฿98.1

21.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.3

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.10 ฿103

30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.08 ฿35.59

79.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.49 $28.49

$3.87 ฿128

636.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.43 ฿47.20

-30.07%

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

$35.3K $35.3K

$27.8K ฿918.9K

26.93%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$27.0K ฿892.4K

-7.15%

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

$101 $101

$105 ฿3,466

-3.50%

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

$53.5 $53.5

$11.39 ฿377

369.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.20 $49.20

$17.54 ฿580

180.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,797

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$7.78 ฿257

92.03%

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

$1,716 $1,716

$576 ฿19.1K

197.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$11.6K ฿383.0K

103.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.21 $40.21

$63.6 ฿2,104

-36.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.96 $49.96

$29.10 ฿962

71.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$96.2 ฿3,182

5.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$90.0 ฿2,977

33.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,240 $2,240

$2,126 ฿70.3K

5.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,778 $1,778

$1,252 ฿41.4K

41.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,256 $2,256

$3,534 ฿116.9K

-36.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,218 $2,218

$2,622 ฿86.7K

-15.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,947 $3,947

$508 ฿16.8K

677.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

5.57

12.39%

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

Last update for Elgin, IL: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Elgin, IL pays 678% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Elgin, IL vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $376 vs $275 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

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

Elgin, IL is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 21% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 678% higher in Elgin, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,716 in Elgin, IL versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Elgin, IL – a meal for two runs $61.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,049 in Elgin, IL versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Elgin, IL but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Elgin, IL the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Elgin, IL is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Elgin, 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 Elgin, IL gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.