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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,390 in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,521 in Milwaukee, WI versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,653 in Milwaukee, WI versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Milwaukee, WI is roughly 89% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Milwaukee, WI is 78% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.40 $18.40

$4.70 ฿154

291.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.2 $64.2

$45.37 ฿1,483

41.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 $9.89

$8.43 ฿276

17.32%

Cappuccino

$5.20 $5.20

$2.93 ฿95.7

77.47%

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

$3.15 $3.15

$0.69 ฿22.42

356.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.37 ฿12.00

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.41 ฿78.7

102.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.97 $6.97

$3.72 ฿122

87.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$2.23 ฿73.0

-61.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.83 ฿59.9

86.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.17 ฿70.9

112.44%

Eggs

$4.33 $4.33

$2.21 ฿72.4

95.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$19.74 ฿645

-48.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.70 $12.70

$3.63 ฿119

249.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.29 $15.29

$13.53 ฿442

13.01%

Apples (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$3.28 ฿107

76.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.61 ฿52.7

-29.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.41 ฿78.7

85.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.08 ฿68.1

138.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.53 ฿49.97

38.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.48 ฿48.41

42.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.99 ฿32.32

98.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$0.51 ฿16.68

413.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.35 $10.35

$4.41 ฿144

134.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.49 $15.49

$19.38 ฿634

-20.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.78 ฿58.1

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.71 ฿88.7

26.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.37 ฿44.83

46.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.1 $72.1

$11.39 ฿372

533.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.02 ฿98.7

-7.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.99 ฿32.51

65.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.28 $21.28

$14.10 ฿461

50.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.36 ฿44.55

-36.76%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$28.2K ฿921.9K

7.70%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-20.60%

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

$187 $187

$122 ฿3,978

53.49%

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

$47.98 $47.98

$13.57 ฿444

253.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.3 $63.3

$18.31 ฿599

245.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 $52.5

$60.2 ฿1,969

-12.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.66 $18.66

$17.14 ฿560

8.87%

Cinema Ticket

$14.81 $14.81

$8.69 ฿284

70.43%

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

$1,793 $1,793

$693 ฿22.7K

158.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$15.7K ฿512.8K

55.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.01 $43.01

$59.5 ฿1,946

-27.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.81 $45.81

$34.77 ฿1,137

31.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 $79.3

$115 ฿3,746

-30.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 $104

$83.3 ฿2,723

24.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,575 $1,575

$613 ฿20.0K

156.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 $1,129

$437 ฿14.3K

158.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,908 $2,908

$2,094 ฿68.5K

38.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,810 $1,810

$1,509 ฿49.3K

19.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,726 $2,726

$3,749 ฿122.6K

-27.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,667 $1,667

$2,616 ฿85.5K

-36.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,776 $3,776

$508 ฿16.6K

643.20%

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 Milwaukee, WI: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,575 in Milwaukee, WI and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Milwaukee, WI pays 643% 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: $64.0 in Milwaukee, WI vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $394 vs $293 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

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

Milwaukee, WI and Phuket differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($2,390 vs $1,265 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Milwaukee, WI pays 643% 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: $1,575 in Milwaukee, WI versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,390 per month in Milwaukee, WI versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 533% less than in Milwaukee, WI. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,390 in Milwaukee, WI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Milwaukee, WI. 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, Milwaukee, WI 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 89% less than in Milwaukee, WI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.