๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,579 in Robinson, IL versus $1,270 in Phuket.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,695 in Robinson, IL versus $2,304 in Phuket.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,810 in Robinson, IL versus $3,339 in Phuket.
๐Living in Robinson, IL is roughly 103% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Robinson, IL is 92% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Robinson, IL
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.66$24.66
$4.66เธฟ150
429.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.7$70.7
$46.44เธฟ1,496
52.24%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.86$10.86
$8.68เธฟ280
25.12%
Cappuccino
$5.06$5.06
$2.95เธฟ95.0
71.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.41$2.41
$0.70เธฟ22.52
244.29%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94$1.94
$0.39เธฟ12.70
397.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.48$5.48
$2.53เธฟ81.6
116.60%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.89$5.89
$3.78เธฟ122
55.82%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Robinson, IL
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.95$0.95
$2.22เธฟ71.5
-57.21%
White Bread(500g)
$2.83$2.83
$1.80เธฟ57.8
57.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$5.04$5.04
$2.19เธฟ70.4
130.14%
Eggs
$2.88$2.88
$2.31เธฟ74.5
24.68%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.40$13.40
$19.34เธฟ623
-30.71%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.23$7.23
$3.77เธฟ121
91.78%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$5.93$5.93
$13.22เธฟ426
-55.14%
Apples(1kg)
$3.99$3.99
$3.33เธฟ107
19.82%
Banana(1kg)
$1.16$1.16
$1.65เธฟ53.1
-29.70%
Oranges(1kg)
$3.52$3.52
$2.29เธฟ73.7
53.71%
Tomato(1kg)
$4.01$4.01
$1.99เธฟ64.1
101.51%
Potato(1kg)
$2.60$2.60
$1.53เธฟ49.24
69.93%
Onion(1kg)
$2.62$2.62
$1.51เธฟ48.77
73.51%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.89$1.89
$1.03เธฟ33.12
83.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.43$2.43
$0.51เธฟ16.57
376.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.50$7.50
$4.41เธฟ142
70.07%
Wine(Bottle)
$15.24$15.24
$19.41เธฟ625
-21.48%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.10$2.10
$1.80เธฟ58.0
16.67%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.93$3.93
$2.68เธฟ86.4
46.64%
๐ Getting Around
Robinson, IL
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.01$2.01
$1.43เธฟ46.11
40.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70เธฟ377
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.58$3.58
$3.04เธฟ97.9
17.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.59$1.59
$1.04เธฟ33.37
52.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$39.53$39.53
$13.68เธฟ441
188.96%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.84$0.84
$1.30เธฟ41.85
-35.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.1K$32.1K
$27.9Kเธฟ898.9K
15.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K$25.8K
$33.0Kเธฟ1.1M
-22.00%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Robinson, IL
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$243$243
$123เธฟ3,962
97.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$53.2$53.2
$13.82เธฟ445
285.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.7$68.7
$18.86เธฟ608
264.05%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Robinson, IL
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.26$42.26
$61.2เธฟ1,970
-30.89%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.81เธฟ541
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.47$12.47
$8.87เธฟ286
40.59%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Robinson, IL
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$393$393
$696เธฟ22.4K
-43.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$23.5K$23.5K
$16.1Kเธฟ517.4K
46.37%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Robinson, IL
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$50.5$50.5
$59.3เธฟ1,910
-14.84%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.69$35.69
$34.85เธฟ1,123
2.41%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$60.0$60.0
$113เธฟ3,646
-46.96%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.3$81.3
$85.1เธฟ2,740
-4.36%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Robinson, IL
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,599$1,599
$615เธฟ19.8K
159.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,375$1,375
$448เธฟ14.4K
206.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,648$2,648
$2,085เธฟ67.2K
27.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,201$2,201
$1,496เธฟ48.2K
47.11%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,647$2,647
$3,734เธฟ120.3K
-29.13%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,442$2,442
$2,662เธฟ85.8K
-8.25%
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Robinson, IL
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$534เธฟ17.2K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6
5.33
12.57%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Robinson, IL: April 21, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,599 in Robinson, IL and $615 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐Dining out: $71 in Robinson, IL vs $46 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $323 vs $291 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
Robinson, IL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Robinson, IL?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 103% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,868 in Robinson, IL and $1,904 in Phuket 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 Robinson, IL and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,599 in Robinson, IL versus $615 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $393 in Robinson, IL versus $696 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Robinson, IL or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket โ a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $71.0 in Robinson, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Robinson, IL or Phuket?
At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,579 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 Robinson, IL or Phuket 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, Robinson, IL or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Robinson, IL and Phuket 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 โ expenses run 103% less than in Robinson, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Robinson, IL vs other spots: cost of living compared