Cost of Living Comparison Between Merrillville, IN and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Merrillville, IN and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,484 in Merrillville, IN versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,623 in Merrillville, IN versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,762 in Merrillville, IN versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Merrillville, IN is roughly 102% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Merrillville, IN is 82% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.84 $14.84

$4.41 ฿147

236.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.4 $54.4

$32.26 ฿1,074

68.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.15 $10.15

$8.93 ฿297

13.66%

Cappuccino

$4.60 $4.60

$2.90 ฿96.4

58.62%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$0.88 ฿29.30

153.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.48 ฿16.01

362.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.35 ฿78.3

67.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.66 $5.66

$3.72 ฿124

52.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.87 ฿62.1

-58.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.90 $2.90

$1.47 ฿48.81

97.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$1.55 ฿51.7

194.19%

Eggs

$4.65 $4.65

$2.10 ฿70.0

121.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.76 $11.76

$19.59 ฿652

-39.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.14 $10.14

$3.42 ฿114

196.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.84 $20.84

$11.38 ฿379

83.13%

Apples (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$2.98 ฿99.3

102.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.68 ฿56.1

-27.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$2.21 ฿73.5

98.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$2.16 ฿72.0

154.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.52 ฿50.8

144.74%

Onion (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.34 ฿44.55

229.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.33 $2.33

$1.13 ฿37.57

106.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.55 ฿18.19

130.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.81 $8.81

$4.26 ฿142

106.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.04 $12.04

$19.09 ฿635

-36.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.78 ฿59.2

16.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.78 ฿92.6

23.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.92 $4.92

$3.03 ฿101

62.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.02 ฿34.06

87.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.7 $50.7

$3.89 ฿130

1204.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.49 ฿49.63

-38.93%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$26.6K ฿884.9K

39.09%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$27.0K ฿899.8K

4.08%

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

$230 $230

$102 ฿3,411

124.80%

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

$63.0 $63.0

$11.33 ฿377

456.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 $66.8

$17.40 ฿579

283.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.14 $36.14

$52.1 ฿1,734

-30.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$7.69 ฿256

91.81%

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

$1,388 $1,388

$561 ฿18.7K

147.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.5K $22.5K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

95.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.6 $51.6

$63.0 ฿2,098

-18.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.54 $39.54

$29.52 ฿983

33.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$98.0 ฿3,263

5.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 $94.6

$88.5 ฿2,946

6.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,650 $1,650

$738 ฿24.6K

123.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,251 $1,251

$482 ฿16.1K

159.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,805 $2,805

$2,107 ฿70.1K

33.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,846 $1,846

$1,226 ฿40.8K

50.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,494 $2,494

$3,617 ฿120.4K

-31.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,549 $2,549

$2,603 ฿86.7K

-2.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.34

5.57

13.82%

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

Last update for Merrillville, IN: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,650 in Merrillville, IN and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $54.0 in Merrillville, IN vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $391 vs $274 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

Merrillville, IN vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Merrillville, IN and Phuket differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($2,484 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $3,726 in Merrillville, IN and $1,847 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,650 in Merrillville, IN versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Merrillville, IN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,484 per month in Merrillville, IN versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 102% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,484 in Merrillville, IN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Merrillville, IN. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Merrillville, IN 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 102% less than in Merrillville, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.