🙂A single person spends $1,261 per month in Phuket vs $2,899 in Naperville, IL, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,276 per month in Phuket vs $4,053 in Naperville, IL, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,291 per month in Phuket vs $5,207 in Naperville, IL, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 57% cheaper than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Naperville, IL is 117% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.53฿153
$15.13$15.13
-70.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.36฿1,565
$59.8$59.8
-22.44%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.65฿292
$10.04$10.04
-13.84%
Cappuccino
$3.09฿104
$4.24$4.24
-27.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.68฿22.89
$2.27$2.27
-70.04%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.44
$2.38$2.38
-84.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.42฿81.6
$4.15$4.15
-41.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.81฿129
$5.96$5.96
-36.07%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.18฿73.5
$0.76$0.76
186.84%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿61.3
$4.53$4.53
-59.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿73.5
$3.23$3.23
-32.51%
Eggs
$2.24฿75.4
$4.90$4.90
-54.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.93฿673
$7.51$7.51
165.38%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.64฿123
$11.11$11.11
-67.24%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿458
$11.53$11.53
17.61%
Apples(1kg)
$3.29฿111
$5.80$5.80
-43.28%
Banana(1kg)
$1.69฿56.9
$1.72$1.72
-1.74%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿78.8
$3.07$3.07
-24.10%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿68.4
$3.48$3.48
-41.67%
Potato(1kg)
$1.60฿54.0
$1.29$1.29
24.03%
Onion(1kg)
$1.49฿50.5
$2.37$2.37
-37.13%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.01฿34.17
$1.69$1.69
-40.24%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$1.47$1.47
-67.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿150
$8.23$8.23
-45.93%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.63฿629
$8.50$8.50
119.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.79฿60.3
$1.76$1.76
1.70%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80฿94.4
$3.71$3.71
-24.53%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.90
$5.96$5.96
-76.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.33฿382
$132$132
-91.39%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.09฿104
$4.86$4.86
-36.42%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.04฿35.19
$1.73$1.73
-39.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.63฿460
$49.40$49.40
-72.41%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31฿44.23
$0.88$0.88
48.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.3K฿920.7K
$24.9K$24.9K
9.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.2K฿1.1M
$25.1K$25.1K
32.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,157
$175$175
-29.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.81฿466
$52.8$52.8
-73.85%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿625
$50.2$50.2
-63.14%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.4฿2,037
$102$102
-40.59%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.80฿567
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.89฿300
$11.11$11.11
-19.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$687฿23.2K
$963$963
-28.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿524.8K
$23.9K$23.9K
-34.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.6฿1,945
$44.74$44.74
28.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.66฿1,170
$47.61$47.61
-27.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,879
$66.6$66.6
72.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.9฿2,865
$99.1$99.1
-14.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$618฿20.8K
$1,965$1,965
-68.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$443฿15.0K
$1,664$1,664
-73.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,047฿69.1K
$3,258$3,258
-37.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,506฿50.8K
$2,419$2,419
-37.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,568฿120.4K
$2,210$2,210
61.43%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,511฿84.7K
$2,246$2,246
11.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$503฿17.0K
$6,554$6,554
-92.33%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.52
-18.25%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026
Last update for Naperville, IL: July 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $618 in Phuket versus $1,965 in Naperville, IL. 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 1204% higher in Naperville, IL, 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $60.0 in Naperville, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $333 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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 Naperville, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Naperville, IL?
Naperville, IL costs about 130% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Phuket and in Naperville, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,891 per month in Phuket and $4,349 in Naperville, IL. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Phuket or Naperville, IL?
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.
How expensive is transport in Phuket compared to Naperville, IL?
Public transport costs about 1061% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and in Naperville, IL?
Kindergarten costs $687 per month in Phuket and $963 in Naperville, IL. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or in Naperville, IL?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Naperville, IL at $2,899. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Naperville, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Naperville, IL?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,261 versus $2,899 in Naperville, IL. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Phuket compared to Naperville, IL?
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.
Should I move to Phuket or to Naperville, IL?
If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Naperville, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.