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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,005 per month in Naperville, IL vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,033 per month in Naperville, IL vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,062 per month in Naperville, IL vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Naperville, IL costs about 138% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Naperville, IL sits 124% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.14 $15.14

$4.70 ฿154

222.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 $59.3

$45.37 ฿1,489

30.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.85 $9.85

$8.43 ฿277

16.84%

Cappuccino

$4.18 $4.18

$2.93 ฿96.1

42.66%

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

$2.34 $2.34

$0.69 ฿22.50

239.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.37 ฿12.04

532.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.41 ฿79.0

73.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 $5.95

$3.72 ฿122

59.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$2.23 ฿73.3

-65.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.58 $4.58

$1.83 ฿60.1

150.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.17 ฿71.1

55.30%

Eggs

$4.64 $4.64

$2.21 ฿72.6

109.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.52 $7.52

$19.74 ฿648

-61.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.84 $10.84

$3.63 ฿119

198.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 $11.15

$13.53 ฿444

-17.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$3.28 ฿108

77.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.61 ฿52.9

1.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.41 ฿79.0

21.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.08 ฿68.4

63.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.53 ฿50.2

-15.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$1.48 ฿48.58

62.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.61 $1.61

$0.99 ฿32.44

62.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.47 $1.47

$0.51 ฿16.74

188.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.07 $8.07

$4.41 ฿145

82.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.11 $8.11

$19.38 ฿636

-58.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.78 ฿58.4

-4.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.71 ฿89.0

36.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.02 $6.02

$1.37 ฿44.99

339.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$131 $131

$11.39 ฿374

1046.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.02 ฿99.1

69.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 $1.76

$0.99 ฿32.63

77.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.1 $50.1

$14.10 ฿463

255.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.36 ฿44.71

-33.82%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

-12.52%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-21.74%

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

$176 $176

$122 ฿3,993

44.46%

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

$51.3 $51.3

$13.57 ฿445

278.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.9 $51.9

$18.31 ฿601

183.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$102 $102

$60.2 ฿1,976

68.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$10.95 $10.95

$8.69 ฿285

26.01%

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

$965 $965

$693 ฿22.8K

39.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.4K $23.4K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

48.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.16 $44.16

$59.5 ฿1,953

-25.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.52 $47.52

$34.77 ฿1,141

36.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.3 $66.3

$115 ฿3,760

-42.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$83.3 ฿2,733

20.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,954 $1,954

$613 ฿20.1K

218.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,705 $1,705

$437 ฿14.3K

290.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,259 $3,259

$2,094 ฿68.7K

55.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,397 $2,397

$1,509 ฿49.5K

58.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,211 $2,211

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-41.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,208 $2,208

$2,616 ฿85.8K

-15.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,652 $6,652

$508 ฿16.7K

1209.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

5.33

22.33%

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

Last update for Naperville, IL: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,954 in Naperville, IL versus $613 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1209% higher in Naperville, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $59.0 in Naperville, IL versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $328 vs $293 – 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

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

Naperville, IL costs about 138% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,507 per month in Naperville, IL and $1,898 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.

Public transport costs about 1047% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $965 per month in Naperville, IL and $693 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Naperville, IL at $3,005. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Naperville, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,265 versus $3,005 in Naperville, 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, Naperville, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.