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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,501 per month in Evanston, IL vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,379 per month in Evanston, IL vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,257 per month in Evanston, IL vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Evanston, IL costs about 100% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Evanston, IL sits 87% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.22 $20.22

$4.55 ฿153

344.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.0 $79.0

$46.18 ฿1,553

71.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$8.84 ฿297

35.52%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$3.06 ฿103

76.80%

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

$2.65 $2.65

$0.73 ฿24.40

263.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.40 ฿13.39

467.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.20 $7.20

$2.43 ฿81.8

196.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$3.78 ฿127

82.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 $1.08

$2.26 ฿76.0

-52.21%

White Bread (500g)

$3.73 $3.73

$1.81 ฿60.9

106.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.25 ฿75.8

139.11%

Eggs

$4.52 $4.52

$2.25 ฿75.5

100.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 $13.70

$19.51 ฿656

-29.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.39 $13.39

$3.65 ฿123

266.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.03 $19.03

$13.05 ฿439

45.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$3.23 ฿109

37.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.62 ฿54.4

4.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.38 ฿80.1

83.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.03 ฿68.1

120.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.53 ฿51.6

61.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.50 ฿50.5

93.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.98 ฿32.91

106.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.52 ฿17.39

288.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.83 $9.83

$4.44 ฿149

121.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$18.32 ฿616

-16.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.86 ฿62.7

27.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$2.68 ฿90.1

39.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.41 ฿47.46

94.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.4 $75.4

$11.70 ฿393

544.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 $4.47

$3.11 ฿105

43.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.04 ฿35.06

30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.68 $41.68

$14.11 ฿474

195.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.31 ฿44.10

-31.30%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

6.48%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-22.73%

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

$184 $184

$122 ฿4,118

50.15%

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

$63.6 $63.6

$13.59 ฿457

367.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 $76.1

$18.70 ฿629

307.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.1 $75.1

$60.5 ฿2,034

24.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.1 $60.1

$16.98 ฿571

253.95%

Cinema Ticket

$14.94 $14.94

$9.07 ฿305

64.72%

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

$1,598 $1,598

$706 ฿23.8K

126.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.5K $34.5K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

118.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.1 $65.1

$58.6 ฿1,969

11.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.92 $48.92

$35.36 ฿1,189

38.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$115 ฿3,883

-12.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$83.7 ฿2,816

61.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,683 $1,683

$626 ฿21.0K

168.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,121 $1,121

$445 ฿15.0K

151.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,016 $4,016

$2,040 ฿68.6K

96.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,056 $3,056

$1,492 ฿50.2K

104.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K $14.6K

$3,483 ฿117.1K

320.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.1K $13.1K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

407.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,271 $5,271

$500 ฿16.8K

954.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

5.33

23.83%

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

Last update for Evanston, IL: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,683 in Evanston, IL versus $626 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 955% higher in Evanston, 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 $79.0 in Evanston, IL versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $289 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,501 in Evanston, IL, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 100% apart. Evanston, IL costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,752 per month in Evanston, IL and $1,875 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.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Evanston, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Evanston, IL and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Evanston, IL at $2,501. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Evanston, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,250 in Phuket to $2,501 in Evanston, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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