Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Wausau, WI

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,190 a month against $1,726 in Wausau, WI, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
85

Cost of Living Index in Wausau, WI
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Wausau, WI Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,190

/mo nomad

Wausau, WI

🇺🇸 United States

$1,726

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Wausau, WI

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Wausau, WI actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,190 in Phuket versus $1,726 in Wausau, WI.

Phuket $1,190
Wausau, WI $1,726

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $2,735 in Wausau, WI.

Phuket $2,006
Wausau, WI $2,735

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $3,743 in Wausau, WI.

Phuket $2,822
Wausau, WI $3,743

Living in Phuket costs roughly 31% less than in Wausau, WI, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Wausau, WI is 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

$19.87 $19.87

-78.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,087

$75.2 $75.2

-56.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿282

$8.71 $8.71

-3.33%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.0

$4.85 $4.85

-42.06%

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

$0.87 ฿29.31

$2.82 $2.82

-69.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.40

$1.94 $1.94

-76.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.6

$5.62 $5.62

-53.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿122

$5.42 $5.42

-32.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.2

$0.85 $0.85

101.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.45

$2.84 $2.84

-48.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.3

$5.26 $5.26

-70.34%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.3

$4.66 $4.66

-54.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿654

$8.62 $8.62

126.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$6.80 $6.80

-50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿373

$13.53 $13.53

-17.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿94.9

$4.17 $4.17

-32.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.53 $1.53

5.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.5

$4.02 $4.02

-44.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿71.9

$4.10 $4.10

-47.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿49.98

$1.86 $1.86

-19.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.43

$2.44 $2.44

-45.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.74

$2.25 $2.25

-52.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.02

$0.99 $0.99

-48.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$8.60 $8.60

-49.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿629

$8.92 $8.92

110.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.3

$1.95 $1.95

-10.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.0

$2.20 $2.20

26.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.6

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿746

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

$2.76 $2.76

9.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.45

$1.58 $1.58

-32.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿124

$20.77 $20.77

-82.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.91

$0.81 $0.81

76.54%

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

$26.3K ฿882.6K

$36.3K $36.3K

-27.48%

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

$26.2K ฿877.8K

$25.0K $25.0K

4.99%

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

$96.7 ฿3,238

$157 $157

-38.56%

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

$11.41 ฿382

$68.3 $68.3

-83.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿573

$71.5 $71.5

-76.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,769

$30.56 $30.56

72.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿371

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿256

$5.93 $5.93

29.01%

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

$555 ฿18.6K

$1,806 $1,806

-69.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿377.9K

$24.6K $24.6K

-54.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,124

$24.53 $24.53

158.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿958

$40.50 $40.50

-29.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,240

$65.8 $65.8

47.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,968

$83.5 $83.5

6.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.6K

$928 $928

-20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.3K

$698 $698

-34.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.4K

$1,565 $1,565

34.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.8K

$1,398 $1,398

-15.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.0K

$1,662 $1,662

110.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.5K

$1,714 $1,714

45.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

$3,486 $3,486

-85.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.65

-16.24%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for Wausau, WI: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$458 38.1%

Wausau, WI

$698 39.8% 52.3% $240

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$268 22.3%

Wausau, WI

$307 17.5% 14.6% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Wausau, WI

$297 17% 137% $172

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$125 10.4%

Wausau, WI

$96 5.5% 22.7% $28

Eating Out

Phuket

$119 9.9%

Wausau, WI

$301 17.2% 153% $182

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.7%

Wausau, WI

$42 2.4% 37.7% $26

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Wausau, WI

$11 * 0.6% 72.9% $29

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $735 in Phuket and $928 in Wausau, WI. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wausau, WI pays 596% 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 $75.0 in Wausau, WI for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $307 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Wausau, WI

🕒 Local time

00:30 12:30 AM

12:30 12:30 PM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

38,435

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 USD = 33.5 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.54 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 12, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Phuket Wausau, WI 14,080 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Wausau, WI

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Wausau, WI: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and utilities. The 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 596% lower in Wausau, WI. 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: $735 in Phuket versus $928 in Wausau, WI. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $555 in Phuket versus $1,806 in Wausau, WI. 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 $32.00 versus $75.0 in Wausau, WI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,190 in Phuket versus $1,726 in Wausau, WI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Wausau, WI. 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 Wausau, WI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Wausau, WI 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 45% less than in Wausau, WI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.