Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Iowa City, IA and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,352 in Iowa City, IA versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,249 in Iowa City, IA versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,146 in Iowa City, IA versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Iowa City, IA is roughly 86% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Iowa City, IA is 76% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.95 $14.95

$4.70 ฿153

218.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.5 $76.5

$45.37 ฿1,482

68.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 $9.16

$8.43 ฿275

8.66%

Cappuccino

$5.13 $5.13

$2.93 ฿95.6

75.09%

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

$2.46 $2.46

$0.69 ฿22.40

256.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$0.37 ฿11.99

397.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$2.41 ฿78.6

105.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.86 $6.86

$3.72 ฿122

84.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.23 ฿72.9

-62.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.83 ฿59.8

49.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.17 ฿70.8

128.57%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$2.21 ฿72.3

77.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 $9.29

$19.74 ฿645

-52.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 $10.50

$3.63 ฿119

189.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.28 $16.28

$13.53 ฿442

20.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.28 ฿107

-0.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.61 ฿52.6

-24.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.41 ฿78.6

15.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.08 ฿68.1

124.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.53 ฿49.93

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.48 ฿48.36

89.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$0.99 ฿32.29

101.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.51 ฿16.67

298.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.18 $9.18

$4.41 ฿144

108.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.80 $15.80

$19.38 ฿633

-18.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.78 ฿58.1

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.71 ฿88.6

77.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.37 ฿44.79

44.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.14 $16.14

$11.39 ฿372

41.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.54 $4.54

$3.02 ฿98.6

50.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.15 $2.15

$0.99 ฿32.48

117.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.24 $41.24

$14.10 ฿461

192.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.36 ฿44.51

-36.76%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

-9.66%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-21.21%

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

$221 $221

$122 ฿3,975

81.90%

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

$49.98 $49.98

$13.57 ฿443

268.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.0 $74.0

$18.31 ฿598

303.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.34 $49.34

$60.2 ฿1,967

-18.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

$17.14 ฿560

16.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.11 $12.11

$8.69 ฿284

39.36%

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

$1,262 $1,262

$693 ฿22.6K

82.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K $24.5K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

56.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$59.5 ฿1,944

13.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.90 $47.90

$34.77 ฿1,136

37.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$115 ฿3,743

-11.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$83.3 ฿2,720

38.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,236 $1,236

$613 ฿20.0K

101.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,087 $1,087

$437 ฿14.3K

148.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,380 $2,380

$2,094 ฿68.4K

13.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,530 $1,530

$1,509 ฿49.3K

1.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,800 $3,800

$3,749 ฿122.5K

1.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,920 $1,920

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-26.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,641 $3,641

$508 ฿16.6K

616.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

5.33

20.64%

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

Last update for Iowa City, IA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,236 in Iowa City, IA and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 617% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $76.0 in Iowa City, IA vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $293 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Iowa City, IA vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Iowa City, IA pays 617% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,236 in Iowa City, IA versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 42% less than in Iowa City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,262 in Iowa City, IA versus $693 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,352 in Iowa City, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Iowa City, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Iowa City, IA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Iowa City, IA and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.