Cost of Living Comparison Between Lincoln, NE and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Lincoln, NE and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,029 in Lincoln, NE versus $1,223 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,112 in Lincoln, NE versus $2,237 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,196 in Lincoln, NE versus $3,251 in Phuket.

Living in Lincoln, NE is roughly 66% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lincoln, NE is 52% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.17 $15.17

$4.51 ฿147

236.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.2 $57.2

$46.62 ฿1,515

22.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.88 $11.88

$8.49 ฿276

39.93%

Cappuccino

$4.98 $4.98

$3.08 ฿100

61.69%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$0.68 ฿22.07

222.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.36 ฿11.75

319.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.43 ฿78.8

107.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.90 $5.90

$3.63 ฿118

62.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$2.19 ฿71.1

-62.10%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.81 ฿59.0

70.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$2.23 ฿72.5

143.05%

Eggs

$4.42 $4.42

$2.24 ฿72.7

97.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.97 $10.97

$19.60 ฿637

-44.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.95 $10.95

$3.72 ฿121

194.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.24 $14.24

$13.47 ฿438

5.72%

Apples (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$3.36 ฿109

78.87%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.62 ฿52.5

24.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.41 ฿78.3

98.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$1.99 ฿64.6

137.19%

Potato (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$1.53 ฿49.76

179.74%

Onion (1kg)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.45 ฿47.19

134.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.01 ฿32.96

79.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$0.48 ฿15.73

383.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.74 $9.74

$4.27 ฿139

128.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.86 $16.86

$19.12 ฿621

-11.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.84 ฿59.7

-2.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.74 ฿89.1

20.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.42 ฿46.06

20.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.37 $29.37

$11.72 ฿381

150.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.92 $6.92

$3.00 ฿97.6

130.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.05 ฿34.00

73.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.34 $34.34

$13.90 ฿452

147.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.29 ฿41.94

-36.43%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$28.0K ฿911.1K

6.79%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$33.5K ฿1.1M

-26.89%

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

$109 $109

$122 ฿3,964

-10.57%

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

$49.19 $49.19

$13.93 ฿453

253.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.2 $64.2

$18.87 ฿613

240.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 $56.1

$61.3 ฿1,992

-8.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.51 $26.51

$16.84 ฿547

57.42%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 $15.01

$8.89 ฿289

68.84%

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

$1,078 $1,078

$691 ฿22.5K

55.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$16.2K ฿525.2K

46.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.38 $49.38

$57.8 ฿1,878

-14.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 $34.69

$35.39 ฿1,150

-1.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 $86.8

$113 ฿3,685

-23.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.3 $92.3

$83.0 ฿2,698

11.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 $1,018

$607 ฿19.7K

67.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$835 $835

$448 ฿14.6K

86.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 $2,457

$2,029 ฿66.0K

21.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,659 $1,659

$1,493 ฿48.5K

11.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,882 $1,882

$3,585 ฿116.5K

-47.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,868 $1,868

$2,585 ฿84.0K

-27.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,784 $3,784

$505 ฿16.4K

649.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.33

22.70%

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

Last update for Lincoln, NE: June 16, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Lincoln, NE and $607 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lincoln, NE pays 650% 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: $57.0 in Lincoln, NE vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $398 vs $292 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

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

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 66% lower than in Lincoln, NE. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Lincoln, NE pays 650% 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: $1,018 in Lincoln, NE versus $607 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $57.0 in Lincoln, NE. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,029 per month in Lincoln, NE versus $1,223 in Phuket – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,029 in Lincoln, NE, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lincoln, NE. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Lincoln, NE 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 66% less than in Lincoln, NE. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.