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 $2,581 per month in Evanston, IL vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,458 per month in Evanston, IL vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,335 per month in Evanston, IL vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Evanston, IL costs about 104% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Evanston, IL sits 87% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.16 $20.16

$4.66 ฿154

332.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.9 $83.9

$32.22 ฿1,065

160.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.02 $13.02

$8.68 ฿287

50.00%

Cappuccino

$5.79 $5.79

$2.90 ฿95.8

99.66%

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

$2.83 $2.83

$0.84 ฿27.89

236.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.49 ฿16.16

379.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.94 $6.94

$2.48 ฿82.0

179.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.30 $7.30

$3.73 ฿123

95.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.89 ฿62.3

-44.97%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.41 ฿46.54

171.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$1.62 ฿53.6

200.62%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$2.24 ฿74.1

108.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.20 $15.20

$19.84 ฿656

-23.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.90 $14.90

$3.48 ฿115

328.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.99 $19.99

$11.37 ฿376

75.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$2.90 ฿95.8

87.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.72 ฿57.0

-6.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.27 ฿75.1

80.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.13 ฿70.4

139.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.47 ฿48.72

88.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.42 ฿46.92

104.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.10 ฿36.25

90.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 $2.33

$0.60 ฿19.76

288.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.59 $10.59

$4.31 ฿142

145.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$18.60 ฿615

-17.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.80 ฿59.5

40.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.97 ฿98.0

16.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.25 ฿74.2

9.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.9 $74.9

$23.49 ฿776

218.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.10 ฿102

32.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.08 ฿35.56

30.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.46 $44.46

$3.87 ฿128

1048.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.43 ฿47.16

-35.66%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

30.14%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

-5.90%

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

$194 $194

$105 ฿3,462

85.23%

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

$60.1 $60.1

$11.39 ฿376

428.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$17.54 ฿580

317.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.4 $74.4

$54.3 ฿1,795

36.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.3 $60.3

$11.44 ฿378

427.19%

Cinema Ticket

$15.13 $15.13

$7.78 ฿257

94.47%

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

$1,522 $1,522

$576 ฿19.0K

164.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K $31.0K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

167.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 $64.1

$63.6 ฿2,103

0.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$29.10 ฿961

73.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$96.2 ฿3,179

13.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$90.0 ฿2,974

41.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,656 $1,656

$733 ฿24.2K

125.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,120 $1,120

$501 ฿16.5K

123.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,013 $4,013

$2,126 ฿70.2K

88.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,996 $2,996

$1,252 ฿41.4K

139.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.6K $14.6K

$3,534 ฿116.8K

312.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$13.2K $13.2K

$2,622 ฿86.6K

402.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,241 $5,241

$508 ฿16.8K

932.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

5.57

15.62%

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

Last update for Evanston, IL: September 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,656 in Evanston, 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 932% 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 $84.0 in Evanston, IL versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $446 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,581 in Evanston, IL, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 104% apart. Evanston, IL costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,871 per month in Evanston, 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.

Groceries cost about 62% 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 $84.0 in Evanston, IL and $32.00 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 $1,265, than in Evanston, IL at $2,581. 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 $1,265 in Phuket to $2,581 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.