Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Effingham, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Effingham, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,547 in Effingham, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,631 in Effingham, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,715 in Effingham, IL.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 50% less than in Effingham, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Effingham, IL is 90% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$15.16 $15.16

-69.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,489

$45.54 $45.54

-0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿277

$9.90 $9.90

-14.85%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.1

$5.28 $5.28

-44.51%

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

$0.69 ฿22.50

$2.32 $2.32

-70.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$1.94 $1.94

-80.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$5.14 $5.14

-53.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$7.13 $7.13

-47.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.3

$0.55 $0.55

305.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$2.85 $2.85

-35.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$4.30 $4.30

-49.53%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$3.06 $3.06

-27.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿648

$15.47 $15.47

27.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$10.94 $10.94

-66.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$14.44 $14.44

-6.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$5.31 $5.31

-38.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$1.59 $1.59

1.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$4.05 $4.05

-40.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$5.63 $5.63

-63.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$2.16 $2.16

-29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.58

$1.08 $1.08

37.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.44

$1.94 $1.94

-48.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.74

$1.98 $1.98

-74.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

$8.95 $8.95

-50.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$12.13 $12.13

59.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$2.63 $2.63

-32.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$3.21 $3.21

-15.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.99

$2.06 $2.06

-33.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.1

$2.72 $2.72

11.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.63

$1.43 $1.43

-30.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

$30.18 $30.18

-53.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.71

$0.88 $0.88

54.55%

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

$28.2K ฿925.3K

$34.3K $34.3K

-17.86%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.9K $26.9K

22.39%

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

$122 ฿3,993

$238 $238

-48.77%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$44.18 $44.18

-69.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿601

$60.7 $60.7

-69.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

$43.20 $43.20

39.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$12.17 $12.17

-28.59%

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

$693 ฿22.8K

$1,267 $1,267

-45.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.7K

$13.8K $13.8K

13.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,953

$44.87 $44.87

32.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,141

$35.16 $35.16

-1.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,760

$85.0 $85.0

34.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,733

$64.5 $64.5

29.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$1,585 $1,585

-61.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$1,339 $1,339

-67.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$2,621 $2,621

-20.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$2,265 $2,265

-33.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

$2,313 $2,313

62.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$2,235 $2,235

17.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.61

-19.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Effingham, IL: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,585 in Effingham, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $46.00 in Effingham, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $372 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 Effingham, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket and Effingham, IL differ by about 101% in total monthly costs ($1,265 vs $2,547 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $3,821 in Effingham, IL to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,585 in Effingham, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Effingham, IL. 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 $2,547 in Effingham, IL – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,547 in Effingham, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Effingham, IL. 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 Effingham, IL 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 101% less than in Effingham, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.