Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Madison, IA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Madison, IA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,532 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,724 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,915 per month in Fort Madison, IA vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Fort Madison, IA costs about 100% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Fort Madison, IA sits 89% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.23 $19.23

$4.70 ฿154

309.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 $74.0

$45.37 ฿1,489

63.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.08 $11.08

$8.43 ฿277

31.44%

Cappuccino

$5.06 $5.06

$2.93 ฿96.1

72.70%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$0.69 ฿22.50

260.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.37 ฿12.04

435.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$2.41 ฿79.0

148.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$3.72 ฿122

84.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.23 ฿73.3

-55.61%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.83 ฿60.1

96.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.17 ฿71.1

98.62%

Eggs

$4.18 $4.18

$2.21 ฿72.6

89.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.07 $12.07

$19.74 ฿648

-38.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$3.63 ฿119

212.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.54 $15.54

$13.53 ฿444

14.86%

Apples (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.28 ฿108

52.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.61 ฿52.9

1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.41 ฿79.0

80.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.08 ฿68.4

130.77%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.53 ฿50.2

87.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.48 ฿48.58

89.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.99 ฿32.44

104.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$0.51 ฿16.74

329.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.87 $9.87

$4.41 ฿145

123.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 $14.77

$19.38 ฿636

-23.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.78 ฿58.4

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.71 ฿89.0

26.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.37 ฿44.99

43.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 $3.51

$3.02 ฿99.1

16.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$0.99 ฿32.63

60.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.82 $28.82

$14.10 ฿463

104.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.36 ฿44.71

-33.82%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

5.18%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-23.60%

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

$188 $188

$122 ฿3,993

54.20%

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

$51.9 $51.9

$13.57 ฿445

282.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$18.31 ฿601

272.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.73 $42.73

$60.2 ฿1,976

-29.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$13.61 $13.61

$8.69 ฿285

56.62%

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

$1,320 $1,320

$693 ฿22.8K

90.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

50.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.7 $51.7

$59.5 ฿1,953

-13.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.61 $39.61

$34.77 ฿1,141

13.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.1 $87.1

$115 ฿3,760

-24.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$83.3 ฿2,733

33.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,574 $1,574

$613 ฿20.1K

156.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,342 $1,342

$437 ฿14.3K

207.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,619 $2,619

$2,094 ฿68.7K

25.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,251 $2,251

$1,509 ฿49.5K

49.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,511 $2,511

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-33.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,421 $2,421

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-7.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.33

22.14%

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

Last update for Fort Madison, IA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,574 in Fort Madison, IA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Fort Madison, IA versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 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

Fort Madison, IA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,532 in Fort Madison, IA, $1,265 in Phuket – roughly 100% apart. Fort Madison, IA costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,799 per month in Fort Madison, IA 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Fort Madison, IA and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% more in Fort Madison, IA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Fort Madison, IA at $2,532. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fort Madison, IA 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 $2,532 in Fort Madison, IA. 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, Fort Madison, IA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.