Cost of Living Comparison Between Moline, IL and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Moline, IL and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,149 per month in Moline, IL vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,109 per month in Moline, IL vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,068 per month in Moline, IL vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Moline, IL costs about 72% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Moline, IL sits 61% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.05 $15.05

$4.55 ฿153

230.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$46.18 ฿1,554

59.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.33 $8.33

$8.84 ฿298

-5.77%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$3.06 ฿103

67.97%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$0.73 ฿24.42

272.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.40 ฿13.40

277.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.43 ฿81.8

60.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 $4.07

$3.78 ฿127

7.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.26 ฿76.0

-60.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.81 ฿60.9

102.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$2.25 ฿75.8

137.33%

Eggs

$3.99 $3.99

$2.25 ฿75.6

77.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.68 $13.68

$19.51 ฿656

-29.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 $8.07

$3.65 ฿123

121.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.60 $11.60

$13.05 ฿439

-11.11%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$3.23 ฿109

36.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.62 ฿54.4

-13.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$2.38 ฿80.2

94.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$2.03 ฿68.2

133.50%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$1.53 ฿51.6

72.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.99 $2.99

$1.50 ฿50.5

99.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.98 ฿32.93

98.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.52 ฿17.40

280.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.81 $9.81

$4.44 ฿149

120.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.13 $15.13

$18.32 ฿616

-17.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.86 ฿62.7

-8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.68 ฿90.2

-31.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.41 ฿47.49

40.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.41 $32.41

$11.70 ฿394

177.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.11 ฿105

40.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.04 ฿35.08

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.74 $41.74

$14.11 ฿475

195.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.31 ฿44.13

-37.40%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

-9.11%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-29.23%

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

$214 $214

$122 ฿4,120

75.06%

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

$50.0 $50.0

$13.59 ฿457

268.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$18.70 ฿629

294.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.38 $42.38

$60.5 ฿2,035

-29.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.35 $39.35

$16.98 ฿572

131.74%

Cinema Ticket

$14.92 $14.92

$9.07 ฿305

64.50%

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

$1,605 $1,605

$706 ฿23.8K

127.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

53.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$58.6 ฿1,970

13.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.95 $47.95

$35.36 ฿1,190

35.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 $90.3

$115 ฿3,885

-21.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$81.8 $81.8

$83.7 ฿2,818

-2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$979 $979

$626 ฿21.1K

56.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$916 $916

$445 ฿15.0K

105.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,462 $1,462

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-28.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 $1,352

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-9.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,315 $1,315

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-62.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,327 $1,327

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-48.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.56

5.33

4.32%

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

Last update for Moline, IL: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $979 in Moline, IL versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Moline, IL versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $360 vs $289 – 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

Moline, IL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Moline, IL costs about 72% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,224 per month in Moline, IL and $1,875 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Moline, IL and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,149 in Moline, IL and $1,250 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Moline, IL at $2,149. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Moline, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $2,149 in Moline, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Moline, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.