Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Schaumburg, IL Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Schaumburg, IL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,195 in Schaumburg, IL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $4,540 in Schaumburg, IL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $5,885 in Schaumburg, IL.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 61% less than in Schaumburg, IL, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Schaumburg, IL is 134% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$15.11 $15.11

-70.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$101 $101

-68.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$12.88 $12.88

-30.67%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$4.70 $4.70

-38.30%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$2.67 $2.67

-67.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$2.29 $2.29

-79.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$4.53 $4.53

-48.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$6.10 $6.10

-39.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$0.86 $0.86

117.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$4.01 $4.01

-63.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$7.71 $7.71

-79.90%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$4.20 $4.20

-50.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$14.74 $14.74

32.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$13.95 $13.95

-75.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$17.59 $17.59

-35.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$5.37 $5.37

-44.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$3.07 $3.07

-45.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$4.83 $4.83

-54.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$4.12 $4.12

-47.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$3.21 $3.21

-52.65%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$3.35 $3.35

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$1.98 $1.98

-42.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$3.52 $3.52

-84.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$17.78 $17.78

-76.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$19.37 $19.37

-1.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$5.39 $5.39

-48.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$0.99 $0.99

50.51%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

1.79%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$28.6K $28.6K

-5.48%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$334 $334

-69.35%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$76.6 $76.6

-85.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$147 $147

-88.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$64.0 $64.0

-18.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

$40.27 $40.27

-72.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$19.86 $19.86

-61.28%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$84.7K $84.7K

-86.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$75.0 $75.0

-15.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$49.35 $49.35

-40.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$101 $101

-2.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$121 $121

-26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$1,951 $1,951

-62.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$1,705 $1,705

-71.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$2,840 $2,840

-25.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$2,540 $2,540

-51.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

$2,152 $2,152

68.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

$2,114 $2,114

23.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$4,888 $4,888

-89.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.1

-8.69%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Schaumburg, IL: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,951 in Schaumburg, IL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Schaumburg, IL pays 890% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $101 in Schaumburg, IL for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $464 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 Schaumburg, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 159% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 890% lower in Schaumburg, IL. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $1,951 in Schaumburg, IL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 70% higher in Schaumburg, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $101 in Schaumburg, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,195 in Schaumburg, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Schaumburg, IL. 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 Schaumburg, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Schaumburg, 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 159% less than in Schaumburg, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.