😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,600 in Lombard, IL versus $1,264 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,740 in Lombard, IL versus $2,256 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,880 in Lombard, IL versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Lombard, IL is roughly 106% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Lombard, IL is 95% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lombard, IL
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.16$19.16
$4.48฿150
327.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.0$74.0
$45.59฿1,521
62.36%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.84$10.84
$8.76฿292
23.74%
Cappuccino
$5.17$5.17
$2.97฿99.0
74.07%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.61$2.61
$0.69฿22.90
278.26%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98$1.98
$0.39฿13.04
407.69%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.88$5.88
$2.53฿84.4
132.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$7.18$7.18
$3.75฿125
91.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lombard, IL
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.03$1.03
$2.15฿71.6
-52.09%
White Bread(500g)
$3.41$3.41
$1.82฿60.6
87.36%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.43$4.43
$2.18฿72.9
103.21%
Eggs
$4.23$4.23
$2.25฿75.0
88.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.20$12.20
$20.00฿667
-39.00%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.29$11.29
$3.63฿121
211.02%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.17$15.17
$13.56฿452
11.87%
Apples(1kg)
$4.99$4.99
$3.24฿108
54.01%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65$1.65
$1.64฿54.6
0.61%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.20$4.20
$2.33฿77.8
80.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.75$4.75
$2.07฿69.1
129.47%
Potato(1kg)
$2.92$2.92
$1.55฿51.6
88.39%
Onion(1kg)
$2.77$2.77
$1.46฿48.54
89.73%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.11$2.11
$0.98฿32.86
115.31%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.19$2.19
$0.48฿16.09
356.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.36$9.36
$4.35฿145
115.17%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.11$15.11
$18.57฿620
-18.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84$1.84
$1.86฿61.9
-1.08%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33$3.33
$2.65฿88.6
25.66%
🚌 Getting Around
Lombard, IL
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.02$2.02
$1.42฿47.28
42.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.57฿386
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.58$3.58
$3.17฿106
12.93%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.64$1.64
$1.03฿34.41
59.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$28.68$28.68
$13.89฿463
106.48%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.89$0.89
$1.34฿44.84
-33.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.1K$29.1K
$27.8K฿927.1K
4.53%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.3K$25.3K
$33.4K฿1.1M
-24.33%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lombard, IL
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$184$184
$123฿4,105
49.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$51.9$51.9
$13.77฿459
276.98%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.9$67.9
$18.33฿611
270.38%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lombard, IL
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.84$42.84
$60.7฿2,025
-29.41%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.16฿573
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.43$13.43
$8.87฿296
51.41%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lombard, IL
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,304$1,304
$688฿22.9K
89.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.5K$23.5K
$15.8K฿526.4K
49.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lombard, IL
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.7$50.7
$59.3฿1,978
-14.45%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.69$40.69
$34.69฿1,157
17.30%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.0$85.0
$115฿3,843
-26.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$114$114
$83.8฿2,794
35.90%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lombard, IL
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,611$1,611
$621฿20.7K
159.24%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,328$1,328
$446฿14.9K
197.79%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,624$2,624
$2,034฿67.8K
29.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,185$2,185
$1,496฿49.9K
46.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,583$2,583
$3,455฿115.3K
-25.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,523$2,523
$2,531฿84.4K
-0.31%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lombard, IL
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$494฿16.5K
-
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 Lombard, IL: July 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,611 in Lombard, IL and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $74.0 in Lombard, IL vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $388 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
Lombard, IL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Lombard, IL?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,900 in Lombard, IL and $1,896 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Lombard, IL and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,611 in Lombard, IL versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Lombard, IL and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Lombard, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
What are total monthly expenses in Lombard, IL and in Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,600 per month in Lombard, IL versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Lombard, IL or in Phuket?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,600 in Lombard, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lombard, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Lombard, IL or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lombard, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Lombard, IL or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Lombard, IL 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 106% less than in Lombard, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Lombard, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared