Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Des Moines, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Des Moines, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,111 in Des Moines, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,163 in Des Moines, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,214 in Des Moines, IA.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 42% less than in Des Moines, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Des Moines, IA is 58% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$16.09 $16.09

-71.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$81.5 $81.5

-42.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$11.81 $11.81

-25.15%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$4.99 $4.99

-39.88%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$2.33 $2.33

-68.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$1.89 $1.89

-80.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$5.05 $5.05

-51.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$7.12 $7.12

-49.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$0.99 $0.99

128.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$2.47 $2.47

-25.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.15 $2.15

4.19%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$3.59 $3.59

-35.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$12.47 $12.47

57.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$10.63 $10.63

-65.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$12.83 $12.83

2.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$4.55 $4.55

-25.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.51 $1.51

8.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$3.58 $3.58

-32.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$3.54 $3.54

-42.66%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.68 $1.68

-7.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$3.05 $3.05

-50.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$2.21 $2.21

-53.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.12 $1.12

-56.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$7.06 $7.06

-36.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$15.03 $15.03

25.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.69 $1.69

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$4.06 $4.06

-32.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$1.71 $1.71

-18.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

$57.8 $57.8

-80.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$2.05 $2.05

52.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.21 $1.21

-17.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$20.05 $20.05

-29.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$0.81 $0.81

66.67%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$25.9K $25.9K

4.81%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.0K $25.0K

31.61%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$144 $144

-13.29%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$52.1 $52.1

-73.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$53.8 $53.8

-65.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$65.7 $65.7

-6.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

$19.90 $19.90

-15.38%

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$15.16 $15.16

-39.38%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$1,362 $1,362

-48.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$11.7K $11.7K

33.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$53.3 $53.3

8.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$41.62 $41.62

-15.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$72.8 $72.8

55.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$129 $129

-32.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$1,212 $1,212

-49.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$921 $921

-51.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$1,770 $1,770

15.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$1,467 $1,467

1.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$2,311 $2,311

63.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$2,300 $2,300

15.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$3,660 $3,660

-85.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.5

-18.00%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Des Moines, IA: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $1,212 in Des Moines, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Des Moines, IA pays 599% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $82.0 in Des Moines, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $330 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 Des Moines, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 71% lower than in Des Moines, 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, Des Moines, IA earns 599% 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: $616 in Phuket versus $1,212 in Des Moines, IA. 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 $47.00 versus $82.0 in Des Moines, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,232 per month in Phuket versus $2,111 in Des Moines, IA – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,111 in Des Moines, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Des Moines, 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 $1,232 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Des Moines, 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 71% less than in Des Moines, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.