🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,029 in Lincoln, NE.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $3,112 in Lincoln, NE.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $4,196 in Lincoln, NE.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 40% less than in Lincoln, NE, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Lincoln, NE is 52% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Lincoln, NE
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.51฿147
$15.17$15.17
-70.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.62฿1,515
$57.2$57.2
-18.50%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.49฿276
$11.88$11.88
-28.54%
Cappuccino
$3.08฿100
$4.98$4.98
-38.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.07
$2.19$2.19
-68.95%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.36฿11.75
$1.51$1.51
-76.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.43฿78.8
$5.04$5.04
-51.79%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63฿118
$5.90$5.90
-38.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Lincoln, NE
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.19฿71.1
$0.83$0.83
163.86%
White Bread(500g)
$1.81฿59.0
$3.09$3.09
-41.42%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.23฿72.5
$5.42$5.42
-58.86%
Eggs
$2.24฿72.7
$4.42$4.42
-49.32%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.60฿637
$10.97$10.97
78.67%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.72฿121
$10.95$10.95
-66.03%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.47฿438
$14.24$14.24
-5.41%
Apples(1kg)
$3.36฿109
$6.01$6.01
-44.09%
Banana(1kg)
$1.62฿52.5
$2.02$2.02
-19.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.3
$4.79$4.79
-49.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.99฿64.6
$4.72$4.72
-57.84%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.76
$4.28$4.28
-64.25%
Onion(1kg)
$1.45฿47.19
$3.40$3.40
-57.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿32.96
$1.81$1.81
-44.20%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.73
$2.32$2.32
-79.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.27฿139
$9.74$9.74
-56.16%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.12฿621
$16.86$16.86
13.40%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84฿59.7
$1.80$1.80
2.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.74฿89.1
$3.30$3.30
-16.97%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Lincoln, NE
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿46.06
$1.71$1.71
-16.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.72฿381
$29.37$29.37
-60.10%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.00฿97.6
$6.92$6.92
-56.65%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.05฿34.00
$1.82$1.82
-42.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.90฿452
$34.34$34.34
-59.52%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.29฿41.94
$0.82$0.82
57.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.0K฿911.1K
$29.9K$29.9K
-6.36%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.5K฿1.1M
$24.5K$24.5K
36.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Lincoln, NE
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,964
$109$109
11.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93฿453
$49.19$49.19
-71.68%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.87฿613
$64.2$64.2
-70.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Lincoln, NE
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.3฿1,992
$56.1$56.1
9.33%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿547
$26.51$26.51
-36.48%
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿289
$15.01$15.01
-40.77%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Lincoln, NE
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$691฿22.5K
$1,078$1,078
-35.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$16.2K฿525.2K
$23.6K$23.6K
-31.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Lincoln, NE
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,878
$49.38$49.38
17.03%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.39฿1,150
$34.69$34.69
2.02%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,685
$86.8$86.8
30.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.0฿2,698
$92.3$92.3
-10.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Lincoln, NE
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$607฿19.7K
$1,018$1,018
-40.43%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$448฿14.6K
$835$835
-46.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,029฿66.0K
$2,457$2,457
-17.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,493฿48.5K
$1,659$1,659
-10.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,585฿116.5K
$1,882$1,882
90.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,585฿84.0K
$1,868$1,868
38.37%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Lincoln, NE
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$505฿16.4K
$3,784$3,784
-86.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.54
-18.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026
Last update for Lincoln, NE: June 16, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $1,018 in Lincoln, NE. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lincoln, NE pays 650% 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 $57.0 in Lincoln, NE for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $398 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 Lincoln, NE: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Lincoln, NE?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 66% lower than in Lincoln, NE. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Lincoln, NE?
On paper, Lincoln, NE earns 650% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Lincoln, NE?
Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $1,018 in Lincoln, NE. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do dining costs compare in Phuket vs Lincoln, NE?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $57.0 in Lincoln, NE. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Lincoln, NE?
All in, you'll spend $1,223 per month in Phuket versus $2,029 in Lincoln, NE – a 66% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Lincoln, NE?
At $1,223 in Phuket versus $2,029 in Lincoln, NE, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Lincoln, NE. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Lincoln, NE?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,223 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Lincoln, NE?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Lincoln, NE are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Lincoln, NE. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.