Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Dubuque, IA

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $1,731 in Dubuque, IA, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
84

Cost of Living Index in Dubuque, IA
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Dubuque, IA Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Dubuque, IA

🇺🇸 United States

$1,731

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Dubuque, IA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Dubuque, IA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,208 per month in Phuket vs $1,731 in Dubuque, IA, rent included.

Phuket $1,208
Dubuque, IA $1,731

A couple spends around $2,027 per month in Phuket vs $2,538 in Dubuque, IA, rent included.

Phuket $2,027
Dubuque, IA $2,538

A family of three spends $2,845 per month in Phuket vs $3,345 in Dubuque, IA, rent included.

Phuket $2,845
Dubuque, IA $3,345

Phuket is about 30% cheaper than Dubuque, IA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Phuket sits 11% below the global median, while Dubuque, IA is 28% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$13.85 $13.85

-68.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

$49.71 $49.71

-35.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$11.80 $11.80

-25.76%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

$4.99 $4.99

-43.29%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

$2.02 $2.02

-55.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$0.95 $0.95

-50.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

$3.01 $3.01

-15.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$4.53 $4.53

-15.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$0.78 $0.78

121.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

$2.71 $2.71

-45.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$2.82 $2.82

-46.45%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$2.85 $2.85

-23.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

$14.05 $14.05

40.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

$10.38 $10.38

-67.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

$10.63 $10.63

4.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$3.32 $3.32

-14.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

$1.21 $1.21

40.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

$3.26 $3.26

-32.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.45 $2.45

-16.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$1.36 $1.36

6.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

$1.67 $1.67

-17.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

$2.42 $2.42

-55.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

$1.79 $1.79

-71.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$8.70 $8.70

-51.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

$13.36 $13.36

39.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

$1.69 $1.69

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

$2.82 $2.82

1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

$0.91 $0.91

59.34%

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

$24.5K $24.5K

7.33%

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

$25.0K $25.0K

7.64%

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

$176 $176

-45.32%

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

$11.04 ฿369

$52.0 $52.0

-78.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

$50.7 $50.7

-66.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

$36.87 $36.87

41.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

$8.17 $8.17

-4.41%

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

$556 ฿18.6K

$812 $812

-31.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

$55.6 $55.6

15.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

$35.65 $35.65

-19.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

$86.1 $86.1

10.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

$88.7 $88.7

-0.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

$985 $985

-25.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

$725 $725

-36.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

$1,476 $1,476

41.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

$1,201 $1,201

0.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

$1,732 $1,732

101.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

$1,707 $1,707

47.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

$3,768 $3,768

-86.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.25

6.10%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Dubuque, IA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Dubuque, IA

$725 41.9% 56.8% $262

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Dubuque, IA

$312 18% 16.2% $43

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Dubuque, IA

$279 16.1% 124% $154

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Dubuque, IA

$120 6.9% 3.7% $4.6

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Dubuque, IA

$242 14% 99.7% $121

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Dubuque, IA

$53 3.1% 21.5% $15

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Dubuque, IA

- * 0% 100%

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Phuket versus $985 in Dubuque, IA. 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 653% higher in Dubuque, IA, 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 $32.00 in Phuket versus $50.0 in Dubuque, IA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $269 vs $312 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Dubuque, IA

🕒 Local time

10:16 10:16 AM

22:16 10:16 PM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

59,667

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Dubuque, IA 14,340 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Dubuque, IA

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

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

Dubuque, IA costs about 43% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,813 per month in Phuket and $2,596 in Dubuque, IA. 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,208 in Phuket and $1,731 in Dubuque, IA. That's a gap of about 43%.

Kindergarten costs $556 per month in Phuket and $812 in Dubuque, IA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,208, than in Dubuque, IA at $1,731. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Dubuque, IA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,208 versus $1,731 in Dubuque, IA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

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