🙂A single person spends $1,265 per month in Phuket vs $3,005 in Naperville, IL, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Phuket vs $4,033 in Naperville, IL, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $3,329 per month in Phuket vs $5,062 in Naperville, IL, rent included.
🙂Phuket is about 58% cheaper than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by Getting Around.
📊Phuket sits 6% below the global median, while Naperville, IL is 124% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$15.14$15.14
-68.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,489
$59.3$59.3
-23.43%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿277
$9.85$9.85
-14.42%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿96.1
$4.18$4.18
-29.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.50
$2.34$2.34
-70.51%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.04
$2.34$2.34
-84.19%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿79.0
$4.19$4.19
-42.48%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$5.95$5.95
-37.48%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.3
$0.76$0.76
193.42%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿60.1
$4.58$4.58
-60.04%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿71.1
$3.37$3.37
-35.61%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.6
$4.64$4.64
-52.37%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿648
$7.52$7.52
162.50%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$10.84$10.84
-66.51%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿444
$11.15$11.15
21.35%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿108
$5.81$5.81
-43.55%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.9
$1.64$1.64
-1.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$2.94$2.94
-18.03%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.4
$3.41$3.41
-39.00%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿50.2
$1.29$1.29
18.60%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.58
$2.40$2.40
-38.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.44
$1.61$1.61
-38.51%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.74
$1.47$1.47
-65.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿145
$8.07$8.07
-45.35%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿636
$8.11$8.11
138.96%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.4
$1.70$1.70
4.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿89.0
$3.70$3.70
-26.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.99
$6.02$6.02
-77.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿374
$131$131
-91.28%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿99.1
$5.12$5.12
-41.02%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.63
$1.76$1.76
-43.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿463
$50.1$50.1
-71.86%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.71
$0.90$0.90
51.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿925.3K
$24.7K$24.7K
14.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$25.7K$25.7K
27.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,993
$176$176
-30.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿445
$51.3$51.3
-73.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿601
$51.9$51.9
-64.73%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,976
$102$102
-40.67%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿562
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿285
$10.95$10.95
-20.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.8K
$965$965
-28.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿514.7K
$23.4K$23.4K
-32.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,953
$44.16$44.16
34.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,141
$47.52$47.52
-26.83%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,760
$66.3$66.3
72.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,733
$101$101
-17.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.1K
$1,954$1,954
-68.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$1,705$1,705
-74.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.7K
$3,259$3,259
-35.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.5K
$2,397$2,397
-37.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿123.0K
$2,211$2,211
69.60%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.8K
$2,208$2,208
18.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Naperville, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.7K
$6,652$6,652
-92.36%
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: June 2, 2026
Last update for Naperville, IL: May 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $613 in Phuket versus $1,954 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 1209% 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 $45.00 in Phuket versus $59.0 in Naperville, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $328 – 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 138% 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 vs Naperville, IL?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,898 per month in Phuket and $4,507 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 vs Naperville, IL?
Public transport costs about 1047% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Phuket and Naperville, IL?
Kindergarten costs $693 per month in Phuket and $965 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 Naperville, IL?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Naperville, IL at $3,005. 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 $1,265 versus $3,005 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 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.