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: $2,437 in Beaufort, SC versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,527 in Beaufort, SC versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,617 in Beaufort, SC versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Beaufort, SC is roughly 93% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Beaufort, SC is 82% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.73 $18.73

$4.53 ฿153

313.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.2 $85.2

$46.36 ฿1,565

83.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 $12.20

$8.65 ฿292

41.04%

Cappuccino

$4.76 $4.76

$3.09 ฿104

54.05%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$0.68 ฿22.89

266.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.37 ฿12.44

432.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.42 ฿81.6

58.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.81 ฿129

3.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$2.18 ฿73.5

-52.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.22 $3.22

$1.82 ฿61.3

76.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.18 ฿73.5

36.70%

Eggs

$3.93 $3.93

$2.24 ฿75.4

75.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$19.93 ฿673

-56.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.02 $6.02

$3.64 ฿123

65.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.92 $10.92

$13.56 ฿458

-19.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.29 ฿111

32.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.69 ฿56.9

-24.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.33 ฿78.8

34.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.03 ฿68.4

-0.99%

Potato (1kg)

$2.49 $2.49

$1.60 ฿54.0

55.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.49 ฿50.5

48.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.01 ฿34.17

97.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.48 ฿16.09

460.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.10 $8.10

$4.45 ฿150

82.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$18.63 ฿629

-20.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.79 ฿60.3

7.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.80 ฿94.4

21.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.42 ฿47.90

42.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.08 $4.08

$3.09 ฿104

32.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.04 ฿35.19

144.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.49 $25.49

$13.63 ฿460

87.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.31 ฿44.23

-41.22%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

-5.00%

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

$20.7K $20.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-37.56%

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

$93.2 $93.2

$123 ฿4,157

-24.32%

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

$43.75 $43.75

$13.81 ฿466

216.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 $61.0

$18.52 ฿625

229.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.51 $24.51

$60.4 ฿2,037

-59.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$10.20 $10.20

$8.89 ฿300

14.74%

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

$1,309 $1,309

$687 ฿23.2K

90.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.0K $11.0K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

-29.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.5 $56.5

$57.6 ฿1,945

-1.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.86 $46.86

$34.66 ฿1,170

35.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 $87.9

$115 ฿3,879

-23.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 $84.9

$84.9 ฿2,865

0.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,593 $1,593

$618 ฿20.8K

158.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,490 $1,490

$443 ฿15.0K

236.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,822 $2,822

$2,047 ฿69.1K

37.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,258 $2,258

$1,506 ฿50.8K

49.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,623 $3,623

$3,568 ฿120.4K

1.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,657 $3,657

$2,511 ฿84.7K

45.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,280 $4,280

$503 ฿17.0K

751.45%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,593 in Beaufort, SC and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Beaufort, SC pays 751% 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: $85.0 in Beaufort, SC vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $309 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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 751% higher in Beaufort, SC, 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: $1,593 in Beaufort, SC versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Beaufort, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,437 per month in Beaufort, SC versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 93% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,437 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 93% less than in Beaufort, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.