Cost of Living Comparison Between Beaufort, SC and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Beaufort, SC and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,455 in Beaufort, SC versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,584 in Beaufort, SC versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,712 in Beaufort, SC versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Beaufort, SC is roughly 94% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beaufort, SC is 83% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.61 $18.61

$4.70 ฿154

295.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$86.3 $86.3

$45.37 ฿1,489

90.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.87 $11.87

$8.43 ฿277

40.81%

Cappuccino

$4.90 $4.90

$2.93 ฿96.1

67.24%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$0.69 ฿22.50

260.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.37 ฿12.04

427.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.68 $3.68

$2.41 ฿79.0

52.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.04 $4.04

$3.72 ฿122

8.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$2.23 ฿73.3

-52.02%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.83 ฿60.1

82.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.17 ฿71.1

40.55%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$2.21 ฿72.6

84.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.57 $8.57

$19.74 ฿648

-56.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.26 $6.26

$3.63 ฿119

72.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.22 $11.22

$13.53 ฿444

-17.07%

Apples (1kg)

$4.33 $4.33

$3.28 ฿108

32.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.61 ฿52.9

-17.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.41 ฿79.0

36.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.08 ฿68.4

-5.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.53 ฿50.2

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 $2.23

$1.48 ฿48.58

50.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.99 ฿32.44

96.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$0.51 ฿16.74

421.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.87 $7.87

$4.41 ฿145

78.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 $14.84

$19.38 ฿636

-23.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.78 ฿58.4

10.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.71 ฿89.0

24.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.37 ฿44.99

43.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$3.02 ฿99.1

31.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.99 ฿32.63

148.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.45 $25.45

$14.10 ฿463

80.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.36 ฿44.71

-39.71%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$28.2K ฿925.3K

-7.29%

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

$20.7K $20.7K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-37.03%

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

$91.1 $91.1

$122 ฿3,993

-25.15%

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

$42.94 $42.94

$13.57 ฿445

216.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 $59.3

$18.31 ฿601

223.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.21 $25.21

$60.2 ฿1,976

-58.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$9.80 $9.80

$8.69 ฿285

12.77%

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

$1,323 $1,323

$693 ฿22.8K

90.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K $11.3K

$15.7K ฿514.7K

-27.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 $55.0

$59.5 ฿1,953

-7.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.93 $45.93

$34.77 ฿1,141

32.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.0 $87.0

$115 ฿3,760

-24.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.7 $86.7

$83.3 ฿2,733

4.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,608 $1,608

$613 ฿20.1K

162.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 $1,441

$437 ฿14.3K

229.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,837 $2,837

$2,094 ฿68.7K

35.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,239 $2,239

$1,509 ฿49.5K

48.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,616 $3,616

$3,749 ฿123.0K

-3.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,668 $3,668

$2,616 ฿85.8K

40.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,813 $3,813

$508 ฿16.7K

650.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.33

22.51%

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

Last update for Beaufort, SC: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,608 in Beaufort, SC and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beaufort, SC pays 650% 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: $86.0 in Beaufort, SC vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $314 vs $293 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

Beaufort, SC vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 94% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Beaufort, SC pays 650% more on average, 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: $1,608 in Beaufort, SC versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Beaufort, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,455 per month in Beaufort, SC versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,455 in Beaufort, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Beaufort, SC. 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 Beaufort, SC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Beaufort, SC 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 94% less than in Beaufort, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.