Cost of Living Comparison Between Iola, KS and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Iola, KS and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,338 per month in Iola, KS vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,233 per month in Iola, KS vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,128 per month in Iola, KS vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Iola, KS costs about 85% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Iola, KS sits 74% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.93 $8.93

$4.70 ฿154

90.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.73 $34.73

$45.37 ฿1,489

-23.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 $8.55

$8.43 ฿277

1.42%

Cappuccino

$4.30 $4.30

$2.93 ฿96.1

46.76%

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

$1.68 $1.68

$0.69 ฿22.50

143.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.37 ฿12.04

416.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.41 ฿79.0

66.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.83 $5.83

$3.72 ฿122

56.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.64 $0.64

$2.23 ฿73.3

-71.30%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.83 ฿60.1

65.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$2.17 ฿71.1

-22.58%

Eggs

$3.30 $3.30

$2.21 ฿72.6

49.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.15 $7.15

$19.74 ฿648

-63.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$3.63 ฿119

47.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.84 $7.84

$13.53 ฿444

-42.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.28 ฿108

33.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.61 ฿52.9

-22.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.24 $3.24

$2.41 ฿79.0

34.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.08 ฿68.4

87.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.53 ฿50.2

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.48 ฿48.58

13.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.00 $2.00

$0.99 ฿32.44

102.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.51 ฿16.74

249.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.94 $6.94

$4.41 ฿145

57.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 $11.89

$19.38 ฿636

-38.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.78 ฿58.4

-1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.71 ฿89.0

29.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.37 ฿44.99

41.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.02 ฿99.1

1.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.99 ฿32.63

28.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.29 $35.29

$14.10 ฿463

150.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.36 ฿44.71

-40.44%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

8.06%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-21.28%

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

$233 $233

$122 ฿3,993

91.54%

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

$67.1 $67.1

$13.57 ฿445

394.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.2 $74.2

$18.31 ฿601

305.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.75 $43.75

$60.2 ฿1,976

-27.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$7.22 $7.22

$8.69 ฿285

-16.92%

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

$754 $754

$693 ฿22.8K

8.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.0K $23.0K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

46.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$20.15 $20.15

$59.5 ฿1,953

-66.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.90 $33.90

$34.77 ฿1,141

-2.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$39.85 $39.85

$115 ฿3,760

-65.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$83.3 ฿2,733

20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,592 $1,592

$613 ฿20.1K

159.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,350 $1,350

$437 ฿14.3K

208.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$2,094 ฿68.7K

23.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,261 $2,261

$1,509 ฿49.5K

49.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,358 $2,358

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-37.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,155 $2,155

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-17.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

5.33

24.77%

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

Last update for Iola, KS: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,592 in Iola, KS 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 $35.00 in Iola, KS versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $267 vs $293 – making Iola, KS 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

Iola, KS vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iola, KS costs about 85% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,506 per month in Iola, KS 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 $35.00 in Iola, KS and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Iola, KS – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Iola, KS at $2,338. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Iola, KS it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $2,338 in Iola, KS. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Iola, KS makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.