Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between La Crosse, WI and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,142 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,401 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,661 per month in La Crosse, WI vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

La Crosse, WI costs about 74% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

La Crosse, WI sits 60% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.05 $13.05

$4.63 ฿151

181.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$82.9 $82.9

$46.84 ฿1,523

76.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.03 $12.03

$8.84 ฿287

36.09%

Cappuccino

$5.87 $5.87

$3.00 ฿97.4

95.67%

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

$3.10 $3.10

$0.74 ฿24.11

318.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.37 ฿11.88

510.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.30 $6.30

$2.44 ฿79.3

158.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 $6.96

$3.61 ฿117

92.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.26 ฿73.5

-64.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.84 ฿59.8

17.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$2.24 ฿73.0

139.73%

Eggs

$4.05 $4.05

$2.32 ฿75.3

74.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$19.67 ฿639

-71.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.01 $14.01

$3.65 ฿119

283.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.81 $17.81

$13.10 ฿426

35.95%

Apples (1kg)

$6.48 $6.48

$3.39 ฿110

91.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.64 ฿53.4

7.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.41 ฿78.5

-6.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.03 ฿66.0

64.04%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.56 ฿50.6

43.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.50 ฿48.66

148.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.02 ฿33.30

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.49 ฿15.91

314.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.90 $11.90

$4.45 ฿145

167.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.50 $15.50

$18.88 ฿614

-17.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.78 ฿57.7

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.75 ฿89.5

-29.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.40 ฿45.54

10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.55 $34.55

$11.48 ฿373

200.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.67 $4.67

$3.12 ฿101

49.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.00 ฿32.48

58.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.13 $24.13

$14.09 ฿458

71.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.35 ฿43.93

-39.26%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$27.2K ฿883.7K

10.60%

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

$24.0K $24.0K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-27.06%

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

$162 $162

$125 ฿4,063

29.96%

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

$51.5 $51.5

$13.57 ฿441

279.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.0 $66.0

$18.52 ฿602

256.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.32 $40.32

$61.5 ฿1,999

-34.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.05 $4.05

$16.84 ฿547

-75.95%

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 $12.03

$9.19 ฿299

30.90%

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

$1,633 $1,633

$698 ฿22.7K

133.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.3K $26.3K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

68.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 $63.0

$57.8 ฿1,878

9.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.37 $44.37

$35.24 ฿1,146

25.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$113 ฿3,677

-24.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 $117

$86.4 ฿2,808

35.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$762 $762

$616 ฿20.0K

23.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$986 $986

$446 ฿14.5K

121.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,163 $2,163

$2,048 ฿66.6K

5.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,975 $1,975

$1,492 ฿48.5K

32.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,889 $1,889

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-50.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,946 $1,946

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-26.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,518 $4,518

$524 ฿17.0K

762.46%

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 La Crosse, WI: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $762 in La Crosse, WI versus $616 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 run about 762% higher in La Crosse, WI, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in La Crosse, WI versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $292 – 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

La Crosse, WI vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,142 in La Crosse, WI, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 74% apart. La Crosse, WI costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,212 per month in La Crosse, WI and $1,847 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.

Groceries cost about 26% more in La Crosse, WI, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $83.0 in La Crosse, WI and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in La Crosse, WI at $2,142. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in La Crosse, WI 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 $1,232 in Phuket to $2,142 in La Crosse, WI. 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, La Crosse, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.