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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,099 in Rockford, IL versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,944 in Rockford, IL versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,788 in Rockford, IL versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Rockford, IL is roughly 66% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rockford, IL is 57% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.94 $14.94

$4.53 ฿153

229.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.3 $64.3

$46.36 ฿1,565

38.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 $9.21

$8.65 ฿292

6.47%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$3.09 ฿104

67.96%

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

$2.01 $2.01

$0.68 ฿22.89

195.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 $1.40

$0.37 ฿12.44

278.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 $4.07

$2.42 ฿81.6

68.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.16 $6.16

$3.81 ฿129

61.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.67 $0.67

$2.18 ฿73.5

-69.27%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.82 ฿61.3

23.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.18 ฿73.5

100.46%

Eggs

$1.74 $1.74

$2.24 ฿75.4

-22.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 $8.02

$19.93 ฿673

-59.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.73 $12.73

$3.64 ฿123

249.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.35 $15.35

$13.56 ฿458

13.20%

Apples (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$3.29 ฿111

68.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.69 ฿56.9

-37.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.33 ฿78.8

95.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$2.03 ฿68.4

144.33%

Potato (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.60 ฿54.0

35.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.49 ฿50.5

46.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.01 ฿34.17

44.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 $2.74

$0.48 ฿16.09

470.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.46 $10.46

$4.45 ฿150

135.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.89 $15.89

$18.63 ฿629

-14.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.79 ฿60.3

-5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.46 $3.46

$2.80 ฿94.4

23.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.42 ฿47.90

7.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.3 $54.3

$11.33 ฿382

378.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.09 ฿104

-7.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.04 ฿35.19

49.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.14 $21.14

$13.63 ฿460

55.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.31 ฿44.23

-38.93%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

7.78%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-22.63%

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

$186 $186

$123 ฿4,157

51.15%

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

$42.14 $42.14

$13.81 ฿466

205.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 $63.9

$18.52 ฿625

245.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.21 $43.21

$60.4 ฿2,037

-28.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$14.52 $14.52

$8.89 ฿300

63.33%

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

$511 $511

$687 ฿23.2K

-25.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,070 $4,070

$15.6K ฿524.8K

-73.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.33 $42.33

$57.6 ฿1,945

-26.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.82 $45.82

$34.66 ฿1,170

32.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 $79.3

$115 ฿3,879

-31.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.6 $94.6

$84.9 ฿2,865

11.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 $1,498

$618 ฿20.8K

142.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$946 $946

$443 ฿15.0K

113.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 $1,494

$2,047 ฿69.1K

-27.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,235 $1,235

$1,506 ฿50.8K

-17.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,479 $1,479

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-58.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,448 $1,448

$2,511 ฿84.7K

-42.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,338 $3,338

$503 ฿17.0K

563.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.77

5.33

8.26%

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

Last update for Rockford, IL: July 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,498 in Rockford, IL and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rockford, IL pays 564% 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: $64.0 in Rockford, IL vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $292 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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 564% higher in Rockford, IL, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,498 in Rockford, IL versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $511 in Rockford, IL versus $687 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Rockford, IL. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,099 in Rockford, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Rockford, 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 Rockford, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Rockford, 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 66% less than in Rockford, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.