🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,572 in Robinson, IL.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $3,671 in Robinson, IL.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $4,769 in Robinson, IL.
🌍Living in Phuket costs roughly 51% less than in Robinson, IL, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Robinson, IL is 93% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Robinson, IL
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48฿150
$25.44$25.44
-82.39%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59฿1,521
$68.9$68.9
-33.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.76฿292
$10.83$10.83
-19.11%
Cappuccino
$2.97฿99.0
$4.92$4.92
-39.63%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.90
$2.43$2.43
-71.60%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39฿13.04
$1.88$1.88
-79.26%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.53฿84.4
$5.49$5.49
-53.92%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75฿125
$5.89$5.89
-36.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Robinson, IL
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.15฿71.6
$0.93$0.93
131.18%
White Bread(500g)
$1.82฿60.6
$2.83$2.83
-35.69%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18฿72.9
$5.07$5.07
-57.00%
Eggs
$2.25฿75.0
$2.83$2.83
-20.49%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$20.00฿667
$12.97$12.97
54.20%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿121
$7.34$7.34
-50.54%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56฿452
$5.63$5.63
140.85%
Apples(1kg)
$3.24฿108
$3.92$3.92
-17.35%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿54.6
$1.19$1.19
37.82%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.33฿77.8
$3.51$3.51
-33.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.07฿69.1
$4.17$4.17
-50.36%
Potato(1kg)
$1.55฿51.6
$2.60$2.60
-40.38%
Onion(1kg)
$1.46฿48.54
$2.52$2.52
-42.06%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.86
$1.86$1.86
-47.31%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿16.09
$2.44$2.44
-80.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35฿145
$7.63$7.63
-42.99%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.57฿620
$15.07$15.07
23.22%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86฿61.9
$2.16$2.16
-13.89%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65฿88.6
$3.96$3.96
-33.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Robinson, IL
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.42฿47.28
$1.98$1.98
-28.28%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.57฿386
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17฿106
$3.43$3.43
-7.58%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.03฿34.41
$1.52$1.52
-32.24%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.89฿463
$39.90$39.90
-65.19%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.34฿44.84
$0.79$0.79
69.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K฿927.1K
$32.6K$32.6K
-14.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K฿1.1M
$25.7K$25.7K
29.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Robinson, IL
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$123฿4,105
$246$246
-49.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77฿459
$53.2$53.2
-74.14%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33฿611
$70.9$70.9
-74.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Robinson, IL
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.7฿2,025
$43.07$43.07
40.91%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16฿573
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.87฿296
$12.56$12.56
-29.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Robinson, IL
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$688฿22.9K
$401$401
71.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.8K฿526.4K
$23.5K$23.5K
-32.89%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Robinson, IL
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3฿1,978
$50.8$50.8
16.71%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69฿1,157
$35.17$35.17
-1.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,843
$60.7$60.7
89.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8฿2,794
$80.4$80.4
4.17%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Robinson, IL
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$621฿20.7K
$1,581$1,581
-60.71%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.9K
$1,341$1,341
-66.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,034฿67.8K
$2,610$2,610
-22.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,496฿49.9K
$2,233$2,233
-33.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,455฿115.3K
$2,792$2,792
23.76%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,531฿84.4K
$2,216$2,216
14.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Robinson, IL
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$494฿16.5K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6
-11.17%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Last update for Robinson, IL: July 26, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $1,581 in Robinson, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $69.0 in Robinson, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $322 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 Robinson, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Robinson, IL cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 104% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $3,859 in Robinson, 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Robinson, IL?
Rent for a central apartment: $621 in Phuket versus $1,581 in Robinson, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $401 in Robinson, IL. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Robinson, IL?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $69.0 in Robinson, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Robinson, IL?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,572 in Robinson, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Robinson, IL. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Robinson, IL more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Robinson, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Robinson, IL?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Robinson, 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Robinson, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.