Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Waterloo, IA Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Waterloo, IA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Phuket versus $1,877 in Waterloo, IA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $2,558 in Waterloo, IA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Phuket versus $3,240 in Waterloo, IA.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 34% less than in Waterloo, IA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 7% below, Waterloo, IA is 39% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 ฿147

$18.23 $18.23

-74.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 ฿1,501

$64.9 $64.9

-27.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿279

$9.93 $9.93

-12.39%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿93.7

$5.21 $5.21

-43.95%

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

$0.68 ฿21.92

$2.73 $2.73

-75.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.70

$2.47 $2.47

-83.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿80.4

$6.06 $6.06

-58.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿122

$6.84 $6.84

-44.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ฿69.3

$1.03 $1.03

109.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ฿60.3

$1.85 $1.85

1.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ฿69.2

$1.68 $1.68

28.57%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿71.2

$2.86 $2.86

-22.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿627

$9.36 $9.36

109.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ฿122

$6.36 $6.36

-40.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ฿430

$12.79 $12.79

4.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿104

$3.69 $3.69

-11.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.7

$1.22 $1.22

31.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿74.0

$3.31 $3.31

-30.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ฿66.0

$4.48 $4.48

-54.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.5

$1.17 $1.17

37.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.26

$2.11 $2.11

-31.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.01

$1.91 $1.91

-46.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.39

$1.57 $1.57

-69.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿144

$7.91 $7.91

-43.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ฿615

$13.25 $13.25

44.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$1.76 $1.76

3.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿86.2

$1.77 $1.77

51.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ฿44.16

$2.05 $2.05

-32.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿99.6

$5.05 $5.05

-38.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.18

$1.37 $1.37

-27.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.74 ฿441

$29.75 $29.75

-53.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.61

$0.83 $0.83

56.63%

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

$27.4K ฿877.0K

$36.1K $36.1K

-24.31%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$25.7K $25.7K

28.31%

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

$125 ฿4,004

$202 $202

-38.27%

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

$13.74 ฿440

$48.26 $48.26

-71.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 ฿597

$59.8 $59.8

-68.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ฿1,941

$43.64 $43.64

38.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿550

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ฿289

$13.97 $13.97

-35.50%

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

$698 ฿22.4K

$1,453 $1,453

-51.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿516.5K

$29.8K $29.8K

-45.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ฿1,898

$39.03 $39.03

51.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 ฿1,118

$42.28 $42.28

-17.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,662

$58.3 $58.3

95.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,751

$129 $129

-33.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿19.8K

$854 $854

-27.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.0K

$755 $755

-42.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ฿66.5K

$2,037 $2,037

1.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿48.4K

$863 $863

74.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 ฿120.7K

$1,508 $1,508

149.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 ฿86.4K

$1,481 $1,481

81.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿16.9K

$3,582 $3,582

-85.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.43

-17.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Last update for Waterloo, IA: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $854 in Waterloo, IA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Waterloo, IA pays 578% 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 in Phuket vs $65 in Waterloo, IA. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $280, with Waterloo, IA cheaper for home cooking.

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 Waterloo, IA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Waterloo, IA earns 578% less. 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: $619 in Phuket versus $854 in Waterloo, IA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $1,453 in Waterloo, IA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $65.0 in Waterloo, IA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,247 in Phuket versus $1,877 in Waterloo, IA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Waterloo, IA. 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 Waterloo, IA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Waterloo, IA 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 51% less than in Waterloo, IA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.