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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,578 in Zion, IL versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,727 in Zion, IL versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,876 in Zion, IL versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Zion, IL is roughly 106% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zion, IL is 88% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.19 $15.19

$4.56 ฿150

233.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.7 $62.7

$32.62 ฿1,072

92.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 $8.09

$8.90 ฿293

-9.10%

Cappuccino

$4.76 $4.76

$2.80 ฿92.2

70.00%

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

$2.14 $2.14

$0.88 ฿28.93

143.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.13 $1.13

$0.49 ฿16.08

130.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.91 $4.91

$2.39 ฿78.5

105.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.71 ฿122

38.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.79 ฿58.7

-46.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.44 ฿47.38

63.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.55 $5.55

$1.58 ฿52.1

251.27%

Eggs

$3.78 $3.78

$2.13 ฿69.9

77.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.37 $12.37

$19.92 ฿655

-37.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.45 $15.45

$3.43 ฿113

350.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.21 $18.21

$11.33 ฿372

60.72%

Apples (1kg)

$5.16 $5.16

$2.95 ฿96.9

74.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$1.72 ฿56.6

52.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$2.32 ฿76.4

130.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.08 ฿68.4

134.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 $3.48

$1.47 ฿48.33

136.73%

Onion (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.36 ฿44.64

116.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.10 ฿36.12

82.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$0.57 ฿18.89

415.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.12 $12.12

$4.27 ฿140

183.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.80 $12.80

$18.42 ฿605

-30.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.87 ฿61.5

14.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.59 $4.59

$2.92 ฿96.0

57.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.22 ฿72.9

-9.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.56 $4.56

$3.03 ฿99.6

50.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.07 ฿35.31

169.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.46 $17.46

$3.93 ฿129

344.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.49 ฿49.04

-28.86%

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

$36.3K $36.3K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

33.71%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-2.10%

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

$227 $227

$103 ฿3,379

121.19%

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

$52.5 $52.5

$10.99 ฿361

377.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.5 $64.5

$17.51 ฿576

268.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.43 $43.43

$53.5 ฿1,760

-18.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$14.89 $14.89

$7.48 ฿246

99.06%

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

$1,115 $1,115

$557 ฿18.3K

100.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.6K $12.6K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

6.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$64.1 ฿2,106

2.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.80 $32.80

$29.07 ฿956

12.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.5 $63.5

$96.0 ฿3,154

-33.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.0 $98.0

$90.3 ฿2,970

8.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,607 $1,607

$730 ฿24.0K

120.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,451 $1,451

$500 ฿16.4K

190.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,416 $2,416

$2,090 ฿68.7K

15.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,939 $1,939

$1,209 ฿39.7K

60.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,363 $2,363

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-34.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,346 $2,346

$2,512 ฿82.6K

-6.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

5.57

14.18%

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

Last update for Zion, IL: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,607 in Zion, IL and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $63.0 in Zion, IL vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $432 vs $273 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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,867 in Zion, IL and $1,880 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: $1,607 in Zion, IL versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,115 in Zion, IL versus $557 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 $33.00 versus $63.0 in Zion, IL. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,578 in Zion, IL, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Zion, 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 Zion, IL, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Zion, 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 106% less than in Zion, IL. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.