Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Island, NE and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Grand Island, NE and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,617 per month in Grand Island, NE vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,736 per month in Grand Island, NE vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,855 per month in Grand Island, NE vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Grand Island, NE costs about 107% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Grand Island, NE sits 95% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.35 $19.35

$4.70 ฿154

311.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.8 $75.8

$45.37 ฿1,489

67.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 $10.89

$8.43 ฿277

29.18%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$2.93 ฿96.1

75.43%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$0.69 ฿22.50

265.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.37 ฿12.04

432.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.17 $6.17

$2.41 ฿79.0

156.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 $7.07

$3.72 ฿122

90.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$2.23 ฿73.3

-53.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.53 $3.53

$1.83 ฿60.1

92.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$2.17 ฿71.1

103.69%

Eggs

$4.04 $4.04

$2.21 ฿72.6

82.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.20 $12.20

$19.74 ฿648

-38.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.59 $11.59

$3.63 ฿119

219.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.69 $15.69

$13.53 ฿444

15.96%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$3.28 ฿108

50.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.61 ฿52.9

-3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$2.41 ฿79.0

75.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.08 ฿68.4

131.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.53 ฿50.2

86.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.48 ฿48.58

95.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.99 ฿32.44

103.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.51 ฿16.74

323.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.45 $9.45

$4.41 ฿145

114.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.20 $14.20

$19.38 ฿636

-26.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.78 ฿58.4

3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.71 ฿89.0

22.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.37 ฿44.99

48.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.46 $3.46

$3.02 ฿99.1

14.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.99 ฿32.63

67.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.59 $29.59

$14.10 ฿463

109.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.36 ฿44.71

-33.82%

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

$29.5K $29.5K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

4.60%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-23.61%

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

$186 $186

$122 ฿3,993

53.02%

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

$52.6 $52.6

$13.57 ฿445

287.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.9 $66.9

$18.31 ฿601

265.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.27 $42.27

$60.2 ฿1,976

-29.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 $13.44

$8.69 ฿285

54.66%

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

$1,314 $1,314

$693 ฿22.8K

89.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

49.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 $50.1

$59.5 ฿1,953

-15.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.62 $39.62

$34.77 ฿1,141

13.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.5 $87.5

$115 ฿3,760

-23.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$83.3 ฿2,733

32.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,631 $1,631

$613 ฿20.1K

165.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,379 $1,379

$437 ฿14.3K

215.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,656 $2,656

$2,094 ฿68.7K

26.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,179 $2,179

$1,509 ฿49.5K

44.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,721 $2,721

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-27.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,440 $2,440

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-6.73%

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 Grand Island, NE: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,631 in Grand Island, NE 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 $76.0 in Grand Island, NE 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

Grand Island, NE vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Grand Island, NE is pricier by about 107%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,925 per month in Grand Island, NE 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 $76.0 in Grand Island, NE 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 Grand Island, NE, 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 Grand Island, NE at $2,617. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Grand Island, NE it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Grand Island, NE makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.