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: $2,019 in Lincoln, NE versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,115 in Lincoln, NE versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,210 in Lincoln, NE versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Lincoln, NE is roughly 60% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lincoln, NE is 52% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.91 $14.91

$4.48 ฿150

232.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$57.4 $57.4

$45.59 ฿1,521

25.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.21 $12.21

$8.76 ฿292

39.38%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$2.97 ฿99.0

76.43%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$0.69 ฿22.90

217.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.39 ฿13.04

287.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.88 $4.88

$2.53 ฿84.4

92.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.05 $6.05

$3.75 ฿125

61.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$2.15 ฿71.6

-60.93%

White Bread (500g)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.82 ฿60.6

70.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$2.18 ฿72.9

150.92%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$2.25 ฿75.0

93.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.67 $10.67

$20.00 ฿667

-46.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.74 $10.74

$3.63 ฿121

195.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.56 $14.56

$13.56 ฿452

7.37%

Apples (1kg)

$6.00 $6.00

$3.24 ฿108

85.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.64 ฿54.6

23.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.33 ฿77.8

98.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$2.07 ฿69.1

125.60%

Potato (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$1.55 ฿51.6

172.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$1.46 ฿48.54

128.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.98 ฿32.86

86.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 $2.31

$0.48 ฿16.09

381.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 $9.96

$4.35 ฿145

128.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.25 $17.25

$18.57 ฿620

-7.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.86 ฿61.9

-2.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.65 ฿88.6

24.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.42 ฿47.28

24.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.14 $29.14

$11.57 ฿386

151.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.62 $6.62

$3.17 ฿106

108.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.03 ฿34.41

75.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.82 $34.82

$13.89 ฿463

150.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.34 ฿44.84

-38.81%

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

$30.6K $30.6K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

10.06%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-24.71%

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

$109 $109

$123 ฿4,105

-11.41%

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

$49.12 $49.12

$13.77 ฿459

256.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 $65.1

$18.33 ฿611

254.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 $55.8

$60.7 ฿2,025

-8.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.97 $26.97

$17.16 ฿573

57.17%

Cinema Ticket

$15.11 $15.11

$8.87 ฿296

70.35%

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

$1,091 $1,091

$688 ฿22.9K

58.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

49.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.81 $49.81

$59.3 ฿1,978

-16.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.68 $35.68

$34.69 ฿1,157

2.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 $84.8

$115 ฿3,843

-26.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.9 $93.9

$83.8 ฿2,794

12.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,010 $1,010

$621 ฿20.7K

62.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$837 $837

$446 ฿14.9K

87.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,483 $2,483

$2,034 ฿67.8K

22.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 $1,681

$1,496 ฿49.9K

12.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,878 $1,878

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-45.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,902 $1,902

$2,531 ฿84.4K

-24.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,753 $3,753

$494 ฿16.5K

660.31%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,010 in Lincoln, NE and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lincoln, NE pays 660% 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 $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $397 vs $291 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 60% 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.

Average pay runs 660% higher in Lincoln, NE, 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: $1,010 in Lincoln, NE versus $621 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 $46.00 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 $2,019 per month in Lincoln, NE versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,019 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 $1,264 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 60% less than in Lincoln, NE. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.