Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iowa City, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Iowa City, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,313 in Iowa City, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $3,257 in Iowa City, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $4,200 in Iowa City, IA.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 45% less than in Iowa City, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Iowa City, IA is 73% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$15.15 $15.15

-70.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,563

$73.9 $73.9

-37.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿292

$9.12 $9.12

-5.15%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$5.23 $5.23

-40.92%

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

$0.68 ฿22.86

$2.45 $2.45

-72.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.42

$1.86 $1.86

-80.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.5

$5.10 $5.10

-52.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$6.95 $6.95

-45.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.4

$0.90 $0.90

142.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.3

$2.74 $2.74

-33.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.4

$5.00 $5.00

-56.40%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.4

$4.09 $4.09

-45.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿672

$9.09 $9.09

119.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$10.32 $10.32

-64.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿457

$16.21 $16.21

-16.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$3.27 $3.27

0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.16 $1.16

45.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.7

$2.69 $2.69

-13.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.3

$4.67 $4.67

-56.53%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.07 $2.07

-22.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.4

$2.90 $2.90

-48.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.13

$1.94 $1.94

-47.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.07

$1.96 $1.96

-75.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$8.74 $8.74

-49.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿628

$15.48 $15.48

20.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.2

$1.78 $1.78

0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.3

$4.74 $4.74

-40.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.84

$1.98 $1.98

-28.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

$15.74 $15.74

-28.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$4.52 $4.52

-31.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.15

$2.15 $2.15

-51.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿459

$42.66 $42.66

-68.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.18

$0.79 $0.79

65.82%

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

$27.3K ฿919.6K

$25.4K $25.4K

7.31%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.1K $25.1K

32.17%

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

$123 ฿4,152

$220 $220

-44.12%

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

$13.81 ฿465

$51.4 $51.4

-73.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿624

$76.3 $76.3

-75.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,035

$49.71 $49.71

21.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

$19.62 $19.62

-14.37%

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿300

$12.08 $12.08

-26.41%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$1,248 $1,248

-44.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿524.2K

$24.9K $24.9K

-37.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,943

$66.9 $66.9

-13.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,168

$48.31 $48.31

-28.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,874

$99.9 $99.9

15.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,862

$113 $113

-24.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$1,253 $1,253

-50.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

$1,097 $1,097

-59.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.0K

$2,362 $2,362

-13.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.8K

$1,514 $1,514

-0.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.3K

$3,781 $3,781

-5.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.6K

$1,922 $1,922

30.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

$3,686 $3,686

-86.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.43

-17.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Iowa City, IA: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $1,253 in Iowa City, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Iowa City, IA pays 633% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $74.0 in Iowa City, IA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $350 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 Iowa City, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 633% lower in Iowa City, IA. 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: $618 in Phuket versus $1,253 in Iowa City, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 39% less than in Iowa City, IA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $687 in Phuket versus $1,248 in Iowa City, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,313 in Iowa City, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Iowa City, IA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Iowa City, IA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Iowa City, 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 83% less than in Iowa City, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.