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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,441 in Mundelein, IL versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,580 in Mundelein, IL versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,720 in Mundelein, IL versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Mundelein, IL is roughly 98% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mundelein, IL is 78% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.76 $15.76

$4.41 ฿147

257.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 $54.7

$32.26 ฿1,075

69.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.61 $7.61

$8.93 ฿298

-14.78%

Cappuccino

$5.59 $5.59

$2.90 ฿96.5

92.76%

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

$3.20 $3.20

$0.88 ฿29.33

263.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$0.48 ฿16.03

414.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 $7.02

$2.35 ฿78.3

198.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.63 $7.63

$3.72 ฿124

105.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.87 ฿62.2

-59.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.62 $3.62

$1.47 ฿48.86

146.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.55 ฿51.7

40.00%

Eggs

$3.63 $3.63

$2.10 ฿70.0

72.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.09 $15.09

$19.59 ฿653

-22.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.01 $13.01

$3.42 ฿114

280.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.24 $20.24

$11.38 ฿379

77.86%

Apples (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.98 ฿99.4

46.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.68 ฿56.1

-2.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$2.21 ฿73.6

140.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.16 ฿72.0

128.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.52 ฿50.8

84.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$1.34 ฿44.59

122.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.13 ฿37.60

90.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$0.55 ฿18.21

330.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.75 $10.75

$4.26 ฿142

152.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.47 $15.47

$19.09 ฿636

-18.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.78 ฿59.3

55.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.78 ฿92.7

59.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.23 ฿74.3

-8.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿758

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.88 $3.88

$3.03 ฿101

28.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.02 ฿34.09

94.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$43.14 $43.14

$3.89 ฿130

1009.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.49 ฿49.68

-35.57%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$26.6K ฿885.7K

35.15%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.0K ฿900.6K

-5.12%

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

$178 $178

$102 ฿3,414

74.17%

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

$51.8 $51.8

$11.33 ฿377

357.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.26 $45.26

$17.40 ฿580

160.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.13 $45.13

$52.1 ฿1,735

-13.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$14.97 $14.97

$7.69 ฿256

94.67%

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

$1,735 $1,735

$561 ฿18.7K

209.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$11.5K ฿383.4K

106.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$63.0 ฿2,100

3.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 $50.1

$29.52 ฿984

69.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 $108

$98.0 ฿3,266

9.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 $123

$88.5 ฿2,949

39.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$738 ฿24.6K

99.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,184 $1,184

$482 ฿16.1K

145.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,254 $2,254

$2,107 ฿70.2K

6.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,110 $2,110

$1,226 ฿40.8K

72.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,483 $2,483

$3,617 ฿120.5K

-31.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,474 $2,474

$2,603 ฿86.7K

-4.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.26

5.57

12.39%

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

Last update for Mundelein, IL: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,474 in Mundelein, IL and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $55.0 in Mundelein, IL vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $421 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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 98% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,661 in Mundelein, IL 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: $1,474 in Mundelein, IL versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,735 in Mundelein, IL versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $55.0 in Mundelein, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,441 in Mundelein, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mundelein, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Mundelein, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Mundelein, 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Mundelein, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.