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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,786 in Burlington, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,700 in Burlington, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $3,613 in Burlington, IA.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 29% less than in Burlington, IA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Burlington, IA is 33% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$11.68 $11.68

-59.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,489

$60.7 $60.7

-25.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿277

$8.96 $8.96

-5.92%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.1

$5.42 $5.42

-45.94%

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

$0.69 ฿22.50

$2.03 $2.03

-66.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$2.06 $2.06

-82.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$3.54 $3.54

-31.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$4.42 $4.42

-15.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.3

$0.80 $0.80

178.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$2.50 $2.50

-26.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$8.01 $8.01

-72.91%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$3.02 $3.02

-26.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿648

$14.85 $14.85

32.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$13.00 $13.00

-72.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$15.49 $15.49

-12.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$5.00 $5.00

-34.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$1.96 $1.96

-17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$4.84 $4.84

-50.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$4.99 $4.99

-58.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$3.08 $3.08

-50.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.58

$2.47 $2.47

-40.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.44

$1.80 $1.80

-45.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.74

$2.50 $2.50

-79.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

$8.77 $8.77

-49.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$11.80 $11.80

64.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$1.78 $1.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$3.97 $3.97

-31.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.99

$1.66 $1.66

-17.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

$20.74 $20.74

-45.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.1

$3.41 $3.41

-11.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.63

$1.59 $1.59

-37.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

$29.03 $29.03

-51.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.71

$0.89 $0.89

52.81%

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

$28.2K ฿925.3K

$23.4K $23.4K

20.74%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.8K $23.8K

38.46%

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

$122 ฿3,993

$175 $175

-30.33%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$52.6 $52.6

-74.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿601

$50.3 $50.3

-63.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

$49.82 $49.82

20.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$11.12 $11.12

-21.85%

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

$693 ฿22.8K

$729 $729

-4.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.7K

$23.5K $23.5K

-33.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,953

$43.88 $43.88

35.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,141

$31.40 $31.40

10.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,760

$67.1 $67.1

70.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,733

$37.66 $37.66

121.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$626 $626

-2.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$656 $656

-33.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$1,066 $1,066

96.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$1,189 $1,189

26.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

$1,021 $1,021

267.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$1,037 $1,037

152.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

$4,426 $4,426

-88.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.52

-18.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Burlington, IA: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $626 in Burlington, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Burlington, IA pays 771% 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 $61.0 in Burlington, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $406 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 Burlington, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Burlington, IA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Burlington, IA earns 771% 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 $626 in Burlington, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $729 in Burlington, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Burlington, IA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,786 in Burlington, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Burlington, IA. 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 $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Burlington, 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 41% less than in Burlington, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.