Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mundelein, IL and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $2,457 in Mundelein, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Mundelein, IL, United States
Phuket, Thailand
Mundelein, IL
🇺🇸 United States
$2,457
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mundelein, IL and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mundelein, IL and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,457 in Mundelein, IL versus $1,294 in Phuket.

  • Mundelein, IL $2,457
  • Phuket $1,294

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,631 in Mundelein, IL versus $2,204 in Phuket.

  • Mundelein, IL $3,631
  • Phuket $2,204

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,804 in Mundelein, IL versus $3,115 in Phuket.

  • Mundelein, IL $4,804
  • Phuket $3,115

Living in Mundelein, IL is roughly 90% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mundelein, IL is 82% above, Phuket is 4% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Mundelein, IL
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.95 $15.95
$4.39 ฿147
263.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.1 $55.1
$32.31 ฿1,085
70.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.67 $7.67
$8.70 ฿292
-11.84%
Cappuccino
$5.45 $5.45
$2.72 ฿91.5
100.37%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03 $3.03
$0.93 ฿31.25
225.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.37 $2.37
$0.50 ฿16.78
374.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.46 $6.46
$2.53 ฿85.0
155.34%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.43 $7.43
$3.63 ฿122
104.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Mundelein, IL
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.82 $0.82
$1.74 ฿58.4
-52.87%
White Bread (500g)
$3.21 $3.21
$1.45 ฿48.73
121.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.21 $2.21
$1.50 ฿50.5
47.33%
Eggs
$3.61 $3.61
$2.17 ฿73.0
66.36%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.57 $14.57
$19.09 ฿641
-23.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.04 $12.04
$3.40 ฿114
254.12%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$20.19 $20.19
$10.90 ฿366
85.23%
Apples (1kg)
$4.34 $4.34
$2.94 ฿98.8
47.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 $1.63
$1.69 ฿56.8
-3.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.76 $4.76
$2.19 ฿73.7
117.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$2.12 ฿71.4
113.21%
Potato (1kg)
$2.75 $2.75
$1.46 ฿48.99
88.36%
Onion (1kg)
$2.87 $2.87
$1.37 ฿45.95
109.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.07 $2.07
$1.08 ฿36.14
91.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 $2.28
$0.55 ฿18.32
314.55%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.57 $10.57
$4.43 ฿149
138.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.49 $15.49
$18.25 ฿613
-15.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.57 $2.57
$1.77 ฿59.5
45.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46 $4.46
$2.88 ฿96.8
54.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Mundelein, IL
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.81 $1.81
$1.45 ฿48.62
24.83%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.2 $53.2
$54.9 ฿1,844
-3.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.08 $4.08
$1.51 ฿50.8
170.20%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.97 $1.97
$0.78 ฿26.06
152.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$44.28 $44.28
$3.84 ฿129
1053.13%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 $1.06
$1.49 ฿49.96
-28.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$30.8K $30.8K
$26.9K ฿902.9K
14.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$26.3K ฿884.9K
-2.93%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mundelein, IL
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$183 $183
$97.8 ฿3,285
86.86%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$46.05 $46.05
$11.29 ฿379
307.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$44.83 $44.83
$17.19 ฿577
160.79%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Mundelein, IL
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.94 $39.94
$68.3 ฿2,295
-41.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$10.92 ฿367
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.86 $14.86
$7.43 ฿250
100.00%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Mundelein, IL
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,584 $1,584
$530 ฿17.8K
198.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$21.2K $21.2K
$18.8K ฿630.9K
12.76%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Mundelein, IL
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.4 $62.4
$61.7 ฿2,072
1.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.91 $47.91
$28.25 ฿949
69.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$110 $110
$96.0 ฿3,225
14.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$124 $124
$86.8 ฿2,916
42.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Mundelein, IL
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,490 $1,490
$721 ฿24.2K
106.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,196 $1,196
$509 ฿17.1K
135.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,236 $2,236
$1,950 ฿65.5K
14.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,078 $2,078
$1,397 ฿46.9K
48.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,955 $2,955
$4,192 ฿140.8K
-29.51%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,018 $2,018
$3,298 ฿110.8K
-38.83%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Mundelein, IL
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$492 ฿16.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.81
5.57
22.26%

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

Last update for Mundelein, IL: November 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Mundelein, IL
$1.2K
Phuket
$509 57.5% $688
Groceries & Markets
Mundelein, IL
$404
Phuket
$267 33.9% $137
Eating Out
Mundelein, IL
$285
Phuket
$120 58% $165
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Mundelein, IL
$274
Phuket
$126 53.8% $147
Clothing & Footwear
Mundelein, IL
$155
Phuket
$123 20.6% $32
Getting Around
Mundelein, IL
$74
Phuket
$66 11.2% $8.3
Sport & Entertainment
Mundelein, IL
$70
Phuket
$83 19.4% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,490 in Mundelein, IL and $721 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $55 in Mundelein, IL vs $32 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $404 vs $267 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Mundelein, IL
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
00:33 12:33 AM
13:33 1:33 PM
13 h ahead of Mundelein, IL
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
31,560
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 33.59 THB (100 THB = 2.98 USD). 1 EUR = 37.81 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Mundelein, IL Phuket 14,400 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Mundelein, IL
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Phuket cheaper than Mundelein, IL?
Phuket is about 47% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $3,686 in Mundelein, IL and $1,940 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.
What is the rent difference between Mundelein, IL and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,490 in Mundelein, IL versus $721 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,584 in Mundelein, IL versus $530 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Mundelein, IL and in Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Mundelein, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Mundelein, IL or in Phuket?
At $1,294 in Phuket versus $2,457 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.
Is it better to live in Mundelein, IL or in Phuket?
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.
Which city is safer, Mundelein, IL or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Mundelein, IL and Phuket are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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