Cost of Living Comparison Between Waunakee, WI and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Waunakee, WI and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,633 in Waunakee, WI versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,898 in Waunakee, WI versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,163 in Waunakee, WI versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Waunakee, WI is roughly 114% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Waunakee, WI is 92% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.82 $19.82

$4.41 ฿147

349.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.0 $81.0

$32.26 ฿1,075

151.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.11 $13.11

$8.93 ฿298

46.81%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$2.90 ฿96.5

96.90%

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

$3.07 $3.07

$0.88 ฿29.33

248.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$0.48 ฿16.03

391.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$2.35 ฿78.3

202.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.48 $7.48

$3.72 ฿124

101.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.87 ฿62.2

-49.20%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.47 ฿48.86

159.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$1.55 ฿51.7

194.84%

Eggs

$3.73 $3.73

$2.10 ฿70.0

77.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.97 $14.97

$19.59 ฿653

-23.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.44 $13.44

$3.42 ฿114

292.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.45 $19.45

$11.38 ฿379

70.91%

Apples (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.98 ฿99.4

64.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.68 ฿56.1

-1.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.21 ฿73.6

81.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.16 ฿72.0

128.70%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$1.52 ฿50.8

87.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.34 ฿44.59

111.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.13 ฿37.60

91.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$0.55 ฿18.21

338.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.76 $10.76

$4.26 ฿142

152.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.16 $15.16

$19.09 ฿636

-20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.78 ฿59.3

43.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.78 ฿92.7

21.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.23 ฿74.3

-2.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿758

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.03 ฿101

6.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.02 ฿34.09

40.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.31 $24.31

$3.89 ฿130

524.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.49 ฿49.68

-30.87%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$26.6K ฿885.7K

35.55%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$27.0K ฿900.6K

-7.14%

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

$189 $189

$102 ฿3,414

84.69%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$11.33 ฿377

510.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.8 $69.8

$17.40 ฿580

301.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.45 $41.45

$52.1 ฿1,735

-20.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$15.14 $15.14

$7.69 ฿256

96.88%

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

$1,565 $1,565

$561 ฿18.7K

179.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$11.5K ฿383.4K

105.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 $62.2

$63.0 ฿2,100

-1.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 $50.8

$29.52 ฿984

72.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 $99.8

$98.0 ฿3,266

1.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$88.5 ฿2,949

36.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,734 $1,734

$738 ฿24.6K

134.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,265 $1,265

$482 ฿16.1K

162.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,834 $2,834

$2,107 ฿70.2K

34.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,404 $2,404

$1,226 ฿40.8K

96.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,425 $2,425

$3,617 ฿120.5K

-32.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,281 $2,281

$2,603 ฿86.7K

-12.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

5.57

14.54%

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

Last update for Waunakee, WI: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,734 in Waunakee, WI and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Waunakee, WI vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $428 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

Waunakee, WI 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 114% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,949 in Waunakee, WI 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: $1,734 in Waunakee, WI versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,565 in Waunakee, WI 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 $81.0 in Waunakee, WI. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,633 in Waunakee, WI, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Waunakee, 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 Waunakee, WI, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Waunakee, WI 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 114% less than in Waunakee, WI. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.