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: $2,022 in Lincoln, NE versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,170 in Lincoln, NE versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,318 in Lincoln, NE versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Lincoln, NE is roughly 64% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lincoln, NE is 51% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.14 $15.14

$4.63 ฿151

227.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.0 $57.0

$46.84 ฿1,532

21.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.05 $12.05

$8.84 ฿289

36.31%

Cappuccino

$5.00 $5.00

$3.00 ฿98.0

66.67%

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

$2.12 $2.12

$0.74 ฿24.25

186.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.54 $1.54

$0.37 ฿11.95

316.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.44 ฿79.8

101.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.84 $5.84

$3.61 ฿118

61.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$2.26 ฿73.9

-63.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.84 ฿60.1

75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$2.24 ฿73.4

146.43%

Eggs

$4.60 $4.60

$2.32 ฿75.7

98.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.78 $10.78

$19.67 ฿643

-45.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.97 $10.97

$3.65 ฿119

200.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.26 $14.26

$13.10 ฿428

8.85%

Apples (1kg)

$6.18 $6.18

$3.39 ฿111

82.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.64 ฿53.7

23.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.41 ฿79.0

91.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.03 ฿66.4

129.56%

Potato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.56 ฿50.9

176.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$1.50 ฿48.94

119.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.02 ฿33.50

85.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.49 ฿16.00

367.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.97 $9.97

$4.45 ฿145

124.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.27 $18.27

$18.88 ฿617

-3.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.78 ฿58.1

1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 $3.27

$2.75 ฿90.1

18.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.40 ฿45.81

26.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 $29.40

$11.48 ฿376

156.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.60 $6.60

$3.12 ฿102

111.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.00 ฿32.67

87.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.56 $34.56

$14.09 ฿461

145.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.35 ฿44.19

-42.96%

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

$30.6K $30.6K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

12.73%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-24.81%

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

$110 $110

$125 ฿4,087

-11.81%

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

$50.4 $50.4

$13.57 ฿444

271.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.2 $63.2

$18.52 ฿606

240.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.3 $56.3

$61.5 ฿2,010

-8.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.35 $26.35

$16.84 ฿551

56.47%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 $14.90

$9.19 ฿300

62.13%

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

$1,061 $1,061

$698 ฿22.8K

51.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

48.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.92 $49.92

$57.8 ฿1,889

-13.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 $34.96

$35.24 ฿1,152

-0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.9 $84.9

$113 ฿3,699

-24.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 $92.6

$86.4 ฿2,825

7.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,014 $1,014

$616 ฿20.1K

64.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 $841

$446 ฿14.6K

88.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,473 $2,473

$2,048 ฿67.0K

20.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 $1,712

$1,492 ฿48.8K

14.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,897 $1,897

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-49.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,883 $1,883

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-28.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,765 $3,765

$524 ฿17.1K

618.72%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,014 in Lincoln, NE and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lincoln, NE pays 619% 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 $402 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 64% 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 619% 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: $1,014 in Lincoln, NE versus $616 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 $2,022 per month in Lincoln, NE versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,022 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 $1,232 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 64% less than in Lincoln, NE. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.