Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Idaho Falls, ID and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,315 in Idaho Falls, ID, rent and utilities included – about $12,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Idaho Falls, ID, United States
Phuket, Thailand
Idaho Falls, ID
🇺🇸 United States
$2,315
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,278
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Idaho Falls, ID and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Idaho Falls, ID and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,315 per month in Idaho Falls, ID vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Idaho Falls, ID $2,315
  • Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $3,380 per month in Idaho Falls, ID vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Idaho Falls, ID $3,380
  • Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $4,446 per month in Idaho Falls, ID vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

  • Idaho Falls, ID $4,446
  • Phuket $3,154

Idaho Falls, ID costs about 81% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Idaho Falls, ID sits 70% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Idaho Falls, ID
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.72 $17.72
$4.47 ฿151
296.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$51.9 $51.9
$32.41 ฿1,094
60.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.09 $10.09
$8.81 ฿297
14.53%
Cappuccino
$5.02 $5.02
$2.83 ฿95.5
77.39%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.27 $2.27
$0.87 ฿29.43
160.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.55 $1.55
$0.49 ฿16.67
216.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.11 $4.11
$2.56 ฿86.4
60.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.10 $7.10
$3.68 ฿124
92.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Idaho Falls, ID
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.72 $0.72
$1.66 ฿56.0
-56.63%
White Bread (500g)
$3.92 $3.92
$1.46 ฿49.35
168.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.97 $2.97
$1.50 ฿50.6
98.00%
Eggs
$4.12 $4.12
$2.09 ฿70.5
97.13%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.68 $11.68
$19.07 ฿644
-38.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.41 $6.41
$3.30 ฿111
94.24%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.79 $9.79
$10.91 ฿368
-10.27%
Apples (1kg)
$2.18 $2.18
$2.93 ฿99.0
-25.60%
Banana (1kg)
$1.26 $1.26
$1.69 ฿57.1
-25.44%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.07 $2.07
$2.25 ฿75.8
-8.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.14 $2.14
$2.08 ฿70.1
2.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.68 $1.68
$1.51 ฿51.0
11.26%
Onion (1kg)
$2.46 $2.46
$1.38 ฿46.56
78.26%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.86 $1.86
$1.07 ฿35.99
73.83%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.88 $1.88
$0.52 ฿17.52
261.54%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.36 $10.36
$4.20 ฿142
146.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.34 $7.34
$18.79 ฿634
-60.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 $1.77
$1.82 ฿61.5
-2.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.53 $1.53
$2.84 ฿95.9
-46.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Idaho Falls, ID
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.05 $3.05
$1.45 ฿49.03
110.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$56.7 ฿1,913
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.53 $2.53
$3.02 ฿102
-16.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.35 $2.35
$1.02 ฿34.36
130.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$25.09 $25.09
$3.69 ฿125
579.95%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.11 $1.11
$1.47 ฿49.81
-24.49%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.3K $34.3K
$26.8K ฿904.3K
28.03%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.1K $26.1K
$26.7K ฿901.3K
-2.04%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Idaho Falls, ID
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$173 $173
$96.4 ฿3,254
79.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$52.7 $52.7
$11.26 ฿380
368.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$63.9 $63.9
$16.85 ฿569
279.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Idaho Falls, ID
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.67 $38.67
$67.2 ฿2,270
-42.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.73 ฿362
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.42 $11.42
$7.50 ฿253
52.27%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Idaho Falls, ID
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$957 $957
$476 ฿16.1K
101.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$20.6K $20.6K
$11.3K ฿380.4K
83.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Idaho Falls, ID
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$41.75 $41.75
$62.4 ฿2,106
-33.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$44.87 $44.87
$28.41 ฿959
57.94%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$70.2 $70.2
$94.3 ฿3,184
-25.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.4 $96.4
$85.8 ฿2,898
12.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Idaho Falls, ID
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,323 $1,323
$716 ฿24.2K
84.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,266 $1,266
$491 ฿16.6K
157.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,073 $2,073
$1,927 ฿65.1K
7.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,207 $2,207
$1,431 ฿48.3K
54.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,923 $1,923
$4,175 ฿141.0K
-53.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,946 $1,946
$3,045 ฿102.8K
-36.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Idaho Falls, ID
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,499 $3,499
$502 ฿17.0K
596.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.12
5.57
9.87%

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

Last update for Idaho Falls, ID: October 24, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Idaho Falls, ID
$1.3K
Phuket
$491 61.2% $775
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Idaho Falls, ID
$289
Phuket
$124 57% $165
Eating Out
Idaho Falls, ID
$282
Phuket
$122 56.9% $161
Groceries & Markets
Idaho Falls, ID
$275
Phuket
$266 3.3% $9.1
Clothing & Footwear
Idaho Falls, ID
$114
Phuket
$122 7% $8
Sport & Entertainment
Idaho Falls, ID
$62
Phuket
$82 33.7% $21
Getting Around
Idaho Falls, ID
$26 *
Phuket
$71 167% $44

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,323 in Idaho Falls, ID versus $716 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 in Idaho Falls, ID are about 7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $52 in Idaho Falls, ID versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $275 vs $266 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Idaho Falls, ID
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
12:01 12:01 PM
01:01 1:01 AM
13 h ahead of Idaho Falls, ID
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
61,459
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Idaho Falls, ID Phuket 13,530 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Idaho Falls, ID
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Idaho Falls, ID vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Idaho Falls, ID?
Yes – Idaho Falls, ID is pricier by about 81%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,472 per month in Idaho Falls, ID and $1,917 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,323 in Idaho Falls, ID.
What are total monthly expenses in Idaho Falls, ID and in Phuket?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,315 in Idaho Falls, ID and $1,278 in Phuket. That’s a gap of about 81%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $957 per month in Idaho Falls, ID and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Idaho Falls, ID or in Phuket?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Idaho Falls, ID at $2,315. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Idaho Falls, ID it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Idaho Falls, ID or Phuket more family-friendly?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Idaho Falls, ID makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Idaho Falls, ID vs other spots: cost of living compared

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