Cost of Living Comparison Between Sioux Falls, SD and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Sioux Falls, SD and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,186 in Sioux Falls, SD versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,245 in Sioux Falls, SD versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,304 in Sioux Falls, SD versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Sioux Falls, SD is roughly 75% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sioux Falls, SD is 64% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.32 $12.32

$4.55 ฿153

170.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.6 $67.6

$46.18 ฿1,550

46.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 $10.14

$8.84 ฿297

14.71%

Cappuccino

$5.14 $5.14

$3.06 ฿103

67.97%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$0.73 ฿24.36

297.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.40 ฿13.37

390.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$2.43 ฿81.6

141.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.48 $6.48

$3.78 ฿127

71.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.26 ฿75.8

-59.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.68 $3.68

$1.81 ฿60.8

103.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.25 ฿75.7

172.89%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$2.25 ฿75.4

86.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.61 $12.61

$19.51 ฿655

-35.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.44 $11.44

$3.65 ฿122

213.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.48 $14.48

$13.05 ฿438

10.96%

Apples (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$3.23 ฿109

57.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.62 ฿54.3

20.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.38 ฿80.0

80.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.43 $6.43

$2.03 ฿68.0

216.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.53 ฿51.5

60.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.50 ฿50.4

142.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.98 ฿32.85

101.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 $2.26

$0.52 ฿17.36

334.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.20 $9.20

$4.44 ฿149

107.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.14 $14.14

$18.32 ฿615

-22.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.86 ฿62.6

3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.68 ฿90.0

13.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.41 ฿47.37

4.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.80 $29.80

$11.70 ฿393

154.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.11 ฿104

25.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.04 ฿35.00

62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.58 $29.58

$14.11 ฿474

109.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.31 ฿44.02

-40.46%

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

$30.1K $30.1K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

8.09%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-24.00%

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

$206 $206

$122 ฿4,110

68.03%

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

$43.70 $43.70

$13.59 ฿456

221.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$18.70 ฿628

259.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$44.38 $44.38

$60.5 ฿2,031

-26.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.32 $39.32

$16.98 ฿570

131.57%

Cinema Ticket

$11.32 $11.32

$9.07 ฿305

24.81%

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

$737 $737

$706 ฿23.7K

4.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,895 $7,895

$15.8K ฿530.5K

-50.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.42 $41.42

$58.6 ฿1,965

-29.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.23 $28.23

$35.36 ฿1,187

-20.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$115 ฿3,876

-1.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$83.7 ฿2,811

44.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,258 $1,258

$626 ฿21.0K

101.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$914 $914

$445 ฿14.9K

105.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,223 $2,223

$2,040 ฿68.5K

8.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 $1,701

$1,492 ฿50.1K

13.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,442 $2,442

$3,483 ฿116.9K

-29.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,191 $2,191

$2,577 ฿86.5K

-14.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 $4,247

$500 ฿16.8K

749.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.65

5.33

24.77%

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

Last update for Sioux Falls, SD: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,258 in Sioux Falls, SD and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sioux Falls, SD pays 750% 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: $68.0 in Sioux Falls, SD vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $289 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

Sioux Falls, SD vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 750% higher in Sioux Falls, SD, 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: $1,258 in Sioux Falls, SD versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $737 in Sioux Falls, SD versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Sioux Falls, SD. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,186 in Sioux Falls, SD, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Sioux Falls, SD. 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 Sioux Falls, SD, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sioux Falls, SD 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 75% less than in Sioux Falls, SD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.