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 $2,524 per month in Evanston, IL vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,366 per month in Evanston, IL vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,208 per month in Evanston, IL vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Evanston, IL costs about 99% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Evanston, IL sits 88% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.36 $20.36

$4.70 ฿154

333.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 $78.7

$45.37 ฿1,483

73.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.93 $11.93

$8.43 ฿276

41.52%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$2.93 ฿95.7

84.64%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$0.69 ฿22.42

295.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.37 ฿12.00

516.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 $7.13

$2.41 ฿78.7

195.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$3.72 ฿122

87.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$2.23 ฿73.0

-51.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.83 ฿59.9

103.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$2.17 ฿70.9

146.54%

Eggs

$4.71 $4.71

$2.21 ฿72.4

113.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$19.74 ฿645

-30.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.27 $13.27

$3.63 ฿119

265.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.14 $19.14

$13.53 ฿442

41.46%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$3.28 ฿107

37.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.61 ฿52.7

4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.41 ฿78.7

79.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$2.08 ฿68.1

116.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.53 ฿49.97

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.48 ฿48.41

93.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.99 ฿32.32

96.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.51 ฿16.68

288.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 $10.12

$4.41 ฿144

129.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.02 $15.02

$19.38 ฿634

-22.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.78 ฿58.1

34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.71 ฿88.7

32.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.37 ฿44.83

105.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.7 $73.7

$11.39 ฿372

547.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.41 $4.41

$3.02 ฿98.7

46.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.99 ฿32.51

45.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.76 $42.76

$14.10 ฿461

203.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.36 ฿44.55

-38.24%

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

$29.6K $29.6K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

4.79%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-22.90%

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

$187 $187

$122 ฿3,978

53.33%

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

$61.7 $61.7

$13.57 ฿444

354.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$76.1 $76.1

$18.31 ฿599

315.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.3 $75.3

$60.2 ฿1,969

25.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$61.0 $61.0

$17.14 ฿560

255.78%

Cinema Ticket

$15.05 $15.05

$8.69 ฿284

73.19%

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

$1,658 $1,658

$693 ฿22.7K

139.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K $35.6K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

127.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 $63.0

$59.5 ฿1,946

5.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.80 $48.80

$34.77 ฿1,137

40.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 $99.9

$115 ฿3,746

-12.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$83.3 ฿2,723

58.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 $1,627

$613 ฿20.0K

165.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 $1,107

$437 ฿14.3K

153.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,938 $3,938

$2,094 ฿68.5K

88.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,942 $2,942

$1,509 ฿49.3K

94.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.4K $14.4K

$3,749 ฿122.6K

283.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$12.9K $12.9K

$2,616 ฿85.5K

393.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,564 $5,564

$508 ฿16.6K

994.97%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,627 in Evanston, IL versus $613 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 995% 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 $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $293 – 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: $2,524 in Evanston, IL, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 99% apart. Evanston, IL costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,785 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 43% 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 $45.00 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 $2,524. 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 $2,524 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.