Cost of Living Comparison Between Rock Island, IL and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Rock Island, IL and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,587 in Rock Island, IL versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,939 in Rock Island, IL versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,290 in Rock Island, IL versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Rock Island, IL is roughly 110% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rock Island, IL is 89% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 $20.08

$4.41 ฿147

355.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$32.26 ฿1,077

205.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.17 $12.17

$8.93 ฿298

36.28%

Cappuccino

$6.56 $6.56

$2.90 ฿96.6

126.21%

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

$3.03 $3.03

$0.88 ฿29.38

244.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.48 ฿16.06

408.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.35 ฿78.5

115.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.70 $5.70

$3.72 ฿124

53.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.87 ฿62.3

-50.27%

White Bread (500g)

$3.02 $3.02

$1.47 ฿48.94

105.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$1.55 ฿51.8

110.32%

Eggs

$4.03 $4.03

$2.10 ฿70.1

91.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.29 $9.29

$19.59 ฿654

-52.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.90 $16.90

$3.42 ฿114

394.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.26 $19.26

$11.38 ฿380

69.24%

Apples (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$2.98 ฿99.6

84.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.68 ฿56.2

-6.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.04 $5.04

$2.21 ฿73.7

128.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.16 ฿72.1

75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.52 ฿50.9

80.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.34 ฿44.67

66.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.13 ฿37.67

147.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.95 $2.95

$0.55 ฿18.24

436.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.78 $8.78

$4.26 ฿142

106.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$19.09 ฿637

-22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.78 ฿59.4

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.78 ฿92.9

7.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.85 $1.85

$2.23 ฿74.4

-17.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 $2.06

$3.03 ฿101

-32.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.02 ฿34.15

19.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.89 $19.89

$3.89 ฿130

411.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.49 ฿49.77

-36.91%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

36.54%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-6.64%

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

$187 $187

$102 ฿3,420

82.21%

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

$52.3 $52.3

$11.33 ฿378

361.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.5 $79.5

$17.40 ฿581

356.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.03 $44.03

$52.1 ฿1,738

-15.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$7.69 ฿257

91.81%

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

$1,376 $1,376

$561 ฿18.7K

145.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K $11.6K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

0.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.2 $76.2

$63.0 ฿2,104

20.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.2 $54.2

$29.52 ฿986

83.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$98.0 ฿3,272

6.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$166 $166

$88.5 ฿2,954

87.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,602 $1,602

$738 ฿24.6K

116.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 $1,429

$482 ฿16.1K

196.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,421 $2,421

$2,107 ฿70.3K

14.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,430 $2,430

$1,226 ฿40.9K

98.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,653 $2,653

$3,617 ฿120.7K

-26.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,046 $2,046

$2,603 ฿86.9K

-21.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

5.57

8.26%

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

Last update for Rock Island, IL: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,602 in Rock Island, IL and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $99.0 in Rock Island, IL vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $418 vs $274 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

Rock Island, IL vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 110% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,881 in Rock Island, IL and $1,847 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,602 in Rock Island, IL versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,376 in Rock Island, IL versus $561 in Phuket. 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 $99.0 in Rock Island, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,587 in Rock Island, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rock Island, 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 Rock Island, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rock Island, 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Rock Island, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.