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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,844 in Normal, IL versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,323 in Normal, IL versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,803 in Normal, IL versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Normal, IL is roughly 46% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Normal, IL is 38% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.81 $9.81

$4.53 ฿153

116.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.91 $49.91

$46.36 ฿1,565

7.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 $9.91

$8.65 ฿292

14.57%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$3.09 ฿104

64.08%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$0.68 ฿22.89

364.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.37 ฿12.44

494.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.42 ฿81.6

105.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 $7.20

$3.81 ฿129

88.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$2.18 ฿73.5

-62.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.82 ฿61.3

43.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.18 ฿73.5

53.67%

Eggs

$4.02 $4.02

$2.24 ฿75.4

79.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.07 $9.07

$19.93 ฿673

-54.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.50 $12.50

$3.64 ฿123

243.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.33 $15.33

$13.56 ฿458

13.05%

Apples (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$3.29 ฿111

75.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.69 ฿56.9

-31.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.33 ฿78.8

93.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.03 ฿68.4

135.96%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.60 ฿54.0

38.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.49 ฿50.5

40.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.01 ฿34.17

89.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.60 $2.60

$0.48 ฿16.09

441.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 $10.44

$4.45 ฿150

134.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.22 $11.22

$18.63 ฿629

-39.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$1.79 ฿60.3

6.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.80 ฿94.4

9.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.42 ฿47.90

42.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.7 $90.7

$11.33 ฿382

700.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.09 ฿104

-10.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.04 ฿35.19

55.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.12 $21.12

$13.63 ฿460

54.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.31 ฿44.23

-38.17%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

11.61%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-21.59%

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

$184 $184

$123 ฿4,157

49.58%

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

$40.24 $40.24

$13.81 ฿466

191.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.6 $63.6

$18.52 ฿625

243.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.48 $42.48

$60.4 ฿2,037

-29.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$14.53 $14.53

$8.89 ฿300

63.44%

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

$691 $691

$687 ฿23.2K

0.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

55.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.41 $30.41

$57.6 ฿1,945

-47.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.79 $40.79

$34.66 ฿1,170

17.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 $80.1

$115 ฿3,879

-30.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 $106

$84.9 ฿2,865

25.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 $1,573

$618 ฿20.8K

154.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$696 $696

$443 ฿15.0K

57.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,596 $2,596

$2,047 ฿69.1K

26.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,179 $2,179

$1,506 ฿50.8K

44.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,859 $9,859

$3,568 ฿120.4K

176.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,182 $4,182

$503 ฿17.0K

731.85%

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 Normal, IL: July 22, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,573 in Normal, IL and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Normal, IL pays 732% 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: $50.0 in Normal, IL vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $365 vs $292 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

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

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Normal, IL. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 732% higher in Normal, IL, 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: $1,573 in Normal, IL versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $50.0 in Normal, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,844 per month in Normal, IL versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,844 in Normal, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Normal, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,261 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Normal, 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 46% less than in Normal, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.