Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ottawa, IL and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $2,495 in Ottawa, IL, rent and utilities included – about $14,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

120

Cost of Living Index in Ottawa, IL
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Ottawa, IL Living Index
62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index

Jump to prices

Ottawa, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$2,495

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ottawa, 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 Ottawa, IL and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,495 per month in Ottawa, IL vs $1,278 in Phuket, rent included.

Ottawa, IL $2,495
Phuket $1,278

A couple spends around $3,579 per month in Ottawa, IL vs $2,216 in Phuket, rent included.

Ottawa, IL $3,579
Phuket $2,216

A family of three spends $4,663 per month in Ottawa, IL vs $3,154 in Phuket, rent included.

Ottawa, IL $4,663
Phuket $3,154

Ottawa, IL costs about 95% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Ottawa, IL sits 83% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.87 $14.87

$4.47 ฿151

232.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 $59.8

$32.41 ฿1,094

84.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.81 $9.81

$8.81 ฿297

11.35%

Cappuccino

$4.79 $4.79

$2.83 ฿95.5

69.26%

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

$2.17 $2.17

$0.87 ฿29.43

149.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.49 ฿16.67

265.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.47 $5.47

$2.56 ฿86.4

113.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.36 $5.36

$3.68 ฿124

45.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.66 ฿56.0

-53.01%

White Bread (500g)

$3.11 $3.11

$1.46 ฿49.35

113.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.00 $3.00

$1.50 ฿50.6

100.00%

Eggs

$3.85 $3.85

$2.09 ฿70.5

84.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.28 $12.28

$19.07 ฿644

-35.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.30 ฿111

81.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.40 $12.40

$10.91 ฿368

13.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.93 ฿99.0

20.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.69 ฿57.1

-14.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$2.25 ฿75.8

43.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.36 $4.36

$2.08 ฿70.1

109.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.51 ฿51.0

33.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.38 ฿46.56

63.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 $2.20

$1.07 ฿35.99

105.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 $1.22

$0.52 ฿17.52

134.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.39 $12.39

$4.20 ฿142

195.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.80 $14.80

$18.79 ฿634

-21.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.82 ฿61.5

18.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$2.84 ฿95.9

38.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.45 ฿49.03

32.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 $63.2

$56.7 ฿1,913

11.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.02 ฿102

-17.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.02 ฿34.36

54.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.24 $28.24

$3.69 ฿125

665.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.47 ฿49.81

-23.81%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.8K ฿904.3K

1.19%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.7K ฿901.3K

1.67%

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

$241 $241

$96.4 ฿3,254

149.70%

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

$45.26 $45.26

$11.26 ฿380

301.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.2 $68.2

$16.85 ฿569

304.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.92 $36.92

$67.2 ฿2,270

-45.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 $26.55

$10.73 ฿362

147.44%

Cinema Ticket

$11.43 $11.43

$7.50 ฿253

52.40%

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

$1,012 $1,012

$476 ฿16.1K

112.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K $19.8K

$11.3K ฿380.4K

75.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.00 $49.00

$62.4 ฿2,106

-21.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.39 $44.39

$28.41 ฿959

56.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$94.3 ฿3,184

25.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$85.8 ฿2,898

41.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 $1,494

$716 ฿24.2K

108.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 $1,276

$491 ฿16.6K

160.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,510 $2,510

$1,927 ฿65.1K

30.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,088 $2,088

$1,431 ฿48.3K

45.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,189 $3,189

$4,175 ฿141.0K

-23.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,643 $2,643

$3,045 ฿102.8K

-13.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,383 $2,383

$502 ฿17.0K

374.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

5.57

22.44%

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

Last update for Ottawa, IL: October 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ottawa, IL

$1.3K 51.2%

Phuket

$491 38.4% 61.5% $785

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ottawa, IL

$354 14.2%

Phuket

$124 9.7% 64.8% $230

Groceries & Markets

Ottawa, IL

$314 12.6%

Phuket

$266 20.8% 15.1% $47

Eating Out

Ottawa, IL

$260 10.4%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 53.2% $138

Clothing & Footwear

Ottawa, IL

$150 6%

Phuket

$122 9.5% 18.6% $28

Getting Around

Ottawa, IL

$81 3.3%

Phuket

$71 5.5% 13.1% $11

Sport & Entertainment

Ottawa, IL

$60 2.4%

Phuket

$82 6.4% 37.6% $22

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,494 in Ottawa, IL versus $716 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 in Ottawa, IL are about 4.7 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60 in Ottawa, IL versus $32 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $314 vs $266 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ottawa, IL

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

17:07 5:07 PM

05:07 5:07 AM

12 h ahead of Ottawa, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

18,342

79,308

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 33.77 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.59 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

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Ottawa, IL Phuket 14,490 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Ottawa, 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

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

Yes – Ottawa, IL is pricier by about 95%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,742 per month in Ottawa, IL and $1,917 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $716 there versus $1,494 in Ottawa, IL.

Kindergarten costs $1,012 per month in Ottawa, IL and $476 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Ottawa, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,278, than in Ottawa, IL at $2,495. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ottawa, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ottawa, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.