Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,864 per month in Madison, WI vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,134 per month in Madison, WI vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,405 per month in Madison, WI vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Madison, WI costs about 133% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Madison, WI sits 114% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.24 $15.24

$4.63 ฿151

229.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.3 $76.3

$46.84 ฿1,532

62.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 $10.92

$8.84 ฿289

23.53%

Cappuccino

$5.24 $5.24

$3.00 ฿98.0

74.67%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$0.74 ฿24.25

252.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.37 ฿11.95

532.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.18 $6.18

$2.44 ฿79.8

153.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 $6.82

$3.61 ฿118

88.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.26 ฿73.9

-60.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.84 ฿60.1

102.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$2.24 ฿73.4

127.68%

Eggs

$3.98 $3.98

$2.32 ฿75.7

71.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.79 $13.79

$19.67 ฿643

-29.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.39 $13.39

$3.65 ฿119

266.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 $16.57

$13.10 ฿428

26.49%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$3.39 ฿111

31.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.64 ฿53.7

-7.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.86 $5.86

$2.41 ฿79.0

143.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.03 ฿66.4

129.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.56 ฿50.9

67.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.50 ฿48.94

91.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.02 ฿33.50

99.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.49 ฿16.00

297.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 $9.96

$4.45 ฿145

123.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.75 $15.75

$18.88 ฿617

-16.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.78 ฿58.1

28.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.83 $4.83

$2.75 ฿90.1

75.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.40 ฿45.81

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.1 $63.1

$11.48 ฿376

449.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.12 ฿102

44.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.00 ฿32.67

123.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.40 $42.40

$14.09 ฿461

200.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.35 ฿44.19

-37.04%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

-6.62%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-21.72%

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

$216 $216

$125 ฿4,087

72.56%

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

$50.2 $50.2

$13.57 ฿444

269.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.4 $74.4

$18.52 ฿606

301.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.6 $63.6

$61.5 ฿2,010

3.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$30.07 $30.07

$16.84 ฿551

78.56%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$9.19 ฿300

61.37%

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

$1,656 $1,656

$698 ฿22.8K

137.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

60.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.7 $67.7

$57.8 ฿1,889

17.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.64 $47.64

$35.24 ฿1,152

35.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.4 $99.4

$113 ฿3,699

-12.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 $134

$86.4 ฿2,825

55.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 $1,701

$616 ฿20.1K

176.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,438 $1,438

$446 ฿14.6K

222.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,068 $3,068

$2,048 ฿67.0K

49.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,492 ฿48.8K

63.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,392 $4,392

$3,779 ฿123.6K

16.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,563 $2,563

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-3.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,331 $4,331

$524 ฿17.1K

726.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

5.33

22.89%

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

Last update for Madison, WI: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,701 in Madison, 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 727% higher in Madison, 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 $76.0 in Madison, WI versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $416 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,864 in Madison, WI, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 133% apart. Madison, WI costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,296 per month in Madison, 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.

Public transport costs about 450% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,656 per month in Madison, WI and $698 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Madison, WI at $2,864. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Madison, 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 $2,864 in Madison, 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, Madison, WI makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.