😐A single person spends $2,621 per month in Oak Park, IL vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A couple spends around $3,792 per month in Oak Park, IL vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.
😐A family of three spends $4,964 per month in Oak Park, IL vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.
😐Oak Park, IL costs about 113% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Oak Park, IL sits 96% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Oak Park, IL
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.23$19.23
$4.63฿151
315.33%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$73.6$73.6
$46.84฿1,523
57.02%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.14$11.14
$8.84฿287
26.02%
Cappuccino
$5.01$5.01
$3.00฿97.4
67.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52$2.52
$0.74฿24.11
240.54%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04$2.04
$0.37฿11.88
451.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.97$5.97
$2.44฿79.3
144.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$6.85$6.85
$3.61฿117
89.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Oak Park, IL
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.01$1.01
$2.26฿73.5
-55.31%
White Bread(500g)
$3.59$3.59
$1.84฿59.8
95.11%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$4.33$4.33
$2.24฿73.0
93.30%
Eggs
$4.29$4.29
$2.32฿75.3
84.91%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.32$12.32
$19.67฿639
-37.37%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$11.56$11.56
$3.65฿119
216.71%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.37$15.37
$13.10฿426
17.33%
Apples(1kg)
$4.98$4.98
$3.39฿110
46.90%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64$1.64
$1.64฿53.4
-
Oranges(1kg)
$4.19$4.19
$2.41฿78.5
73.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.59$4.59
$2.03฿66.0
126.11%
Potato(1kg)
$2.76$2.76
$1.56฿50.6
76.92%
Onion(1kg)
$2.77$2.77
$1.50฿48.66
84.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.08$2.08
$1.02฿33.30
103.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.17$2.17
$0.49฿15.91
342.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.76$9.76
$4.45฿145
119.33%
Wine(Bottle)
$14.74$14.74
$18.88฿614
-21.93%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84$1.84
$1.78฿57.7
3.37%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29$3.29
$2.75฿89.5
19.64%
🚌 Getting Around
Oak Park, IL
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.02$2.02
$1.40฿45.54
44.29%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.48฿373
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.47$3.47
$3.12฿101
11.22%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.57$1.57
$1.00฿32.48
57.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$28.81$28.81
$14.09฿458
104.47%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.85$0.85
$1.35฿43.93
-37.04%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4K$29.4K
$27.2K฿883.7K
8.21%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.4K$25.4K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-22.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Oak Park, IL
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$189$189
$125฿4,063
51.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.2$53.2
$13.57฿441
291.82%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.0$69.0
$18.52฿602
272.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Oak Park, IL
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.18$42.18
$61.5฿1,999
-31.39%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84฿547
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.54$13.54
$9.19฿299
47.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Oak Park, IL
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$1,311$1,311
$698฿22.7K
87.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.8K$23.8K
$15.6K฿506.9K
52.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Oak Park, IL
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.2$50.2
$57.8฿1,878
-13.18%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.42$40.42
$35.24฿1,146
14.70%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$85.0$85.0
$113฿3,677
-24.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$113$113
$86.4฿2,808
30.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Oak Park, IL
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,587$1,587
$616฿20.0K
157.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,372$1,372
$446฿14.5K
207.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,656$2,656
$2,048฿66.6K
29.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,244$2,244
$1,492฿48.5K
50.38%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,532$2,532
$3,779฿122.8K
-33.00%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,270$2,270
$2,649฿86.1K
-14.30%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Oak Park, IL
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,679$5,679
$524฿17.0K
984.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.51
5.33
22.14%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Oak Park, IL: April 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $1,587 in Oak Park, IL versus $616 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 984% higher in Oak Park, 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 $74.0 in Oak Park, IL versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $389 vs $292 – 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
Oak Park, IL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Oak Park, IL and Phuket compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $2,621 in Oak Park, IL, $1,232 in Phuket – roughly 113% apart. Oak Park, IL costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Oak Park, IL compared to Phuket?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,931 per month in Oak Park, IL and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Oak Park, IL and Phuket?
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.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Oak Park, IL and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 33% more in Oak Park, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,500 per month?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Oak Park, IL at $2,621. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Oak Park, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Oak Park, IL and Phuket?
It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,232 in Phuket to $2,621 in Oak Park, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Oak Park, IL or Phuket safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Oak Park, IL and Phuket?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Oak Park, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Oak Park, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared