Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ankeny, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Ankeny, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,993 in Ankeny, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,892 in Ankeny, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,790 in Ankeny, IA.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 37% less than in Ankeny, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Ankeny, IA is 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$15.25 $15.25

-69.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$57.7 $57.7

-21.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$11.81 $11.81

-28.62%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$6.17 $6.17

-52.51%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$2.57 $2.57

-73.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.57 $1.57

-76.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$5.09 $5.09

-52.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$7.11 $7.11

-47.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$0.91 $0.91

145.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$2.44 $2.44

-25.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$2.25 $2.25

-3.56%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$3.63 $3.63

-39.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$10.90 $10.90

81.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$10.94 $10.94

-66.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$14.32 $14.32

-5.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$4.52 $4.52

-27.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$2.02 $2.02

-20.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$4.86 $4.86

-50.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$4.53 $4.53

-54.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$3.59 $3.59

-57.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$3.33 $3.33

-55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$1.04 $1.04

-4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$0.67 $0.67

-23.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$9.01 $9.01

-51.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$15.30 $15.30

26.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.68 $1.68

5.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$3.41 $3.41

-20.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$1.97 $1.97

-30.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$1.99 $1.99

51.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$2.16 $2.16

-54.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$20.24 $20.24

-30.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.83 $0.83

63.86%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

7.51%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$24.1K $24.1K

36.53%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$146 $146

-16.84%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$49.88 $49.88

-72.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$62.9 $62.9

-70.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$42.89 $42.89

40.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$15.13 $15.13

-42.56%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$1,088 $1,088

-36.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$11.7K $11.7K

34.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$49.04 $49.04

21.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$34.51 $34.51

0.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$84.5 $84.5

35.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$94.0 $94.0

-11.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$924 $924

-33.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$916 $916

-52.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$1,850 $1,850

13.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$1,353 $1,353

11.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$5,274 $5,274

-90.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.54

-18.50%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ankeny, IA: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $924 in Ankeny, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ankeny, IA pays 938% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $58.0 in Ankeny, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $340 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

Phuket vs Ankeny, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Ankeny, IA differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $1,993 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ankeny, IA earns 938% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $924 in Ankeny, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Ankeny, IA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $1,993 in Ankeny, IA – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,993 in Ankeny, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Ankeny, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Ankeny, IA 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 58% less than in Ankeny, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.