Cost of Living Comparison Between Brookings, SD and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Brookings, SD and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,579 per month in Brookings, SD vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,706 per month in Brookings, SD vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,833 per month in Brookings, SD vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Brookings, SD costs about 104% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Brookings, SD sits 94% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.34 $17.34

$4.48 ฿150

287.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.52 $39.52

$45.59 ฿1,521

-13.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 $11.42

$8.76 ฿292

30.37%

Cappuccino

$4.57 $4.57

$2.97 ฿99.0

53.87%

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

$2.47 $2.47

$0.69 ฿22.90

257.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$0.39 ฿13.04

420.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$2.53 ฿84.4

135.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 $6.83

$3.75 ฿125

82.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.15 ฿71.6

-54.88%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.82 ฿60.6

94.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.26 $5.26

$2.18 ฿72.9

141.28%

Eggs

$4.22 $4.22

$2.25 ฿75.0

87.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.36 $11.36

$20.00 ฿667

-43.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.43 $14.43

$3.63 ฿121

297.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 $12.11

$13.56 ฿452

-10.69%

Apples (1kg)

$6.25 $6.25

$3.24 ฿108

92.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.64 ฿54.6

-6.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.01 $7.01

$2.33 ฿77.8

200.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.47 $5.47

$2.07 ฿69.1

164.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$1.55 ฿51.6

99.35%

Onion (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.46 ฿48.54

163.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.50 $2.50

$0.98 ฿32.86

155.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.48 ฿16.09

287.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.88 $11.88

$4.35 ฿145

173.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 $11.86

$18.57 ฿620

-36.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.86 ฿61.9

20.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.65 ฿88.6

90.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.42 ฿47.28

36.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.63 $4.63

$3.17 ฿106

46.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.03 ฿34.41

63.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.77 $23.77

$13.89 ฿463

71.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.34 ฿44.84

-32.09%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

9.87%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-23.66%

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

$160 $160

$123 ฿4,105

30.24%

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

$50.8 $50.8

$13.77 ฿459

269.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.7 $67.7

$18.33 ฿611

269.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.76 $43.76

$60.7 ฿2,025

-27.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$12.01 $12.01

$8.87 ฿296

35.40%

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

$1,614 $1,614

$688 ฿22.9K

134.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.1K $26.1K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

65.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.09 $42.09

$59.3 ฿1,978

-29.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.71 $34.71

$34.69 ฿1,157

0.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.5 $89.5

$115 ฿3,843

-22.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$83.8 ฿2,794

41.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,622 $1,622

$621 ฿20.7K

161.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,327 $1,327

$446 ฿14.9K

197.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,617 $2,617

$2,034 ฿67.8K

28.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,225 $2,225

$1,496 ฿49.9K

48.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-19.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,154 $3,154

$2,531 ฿84.4K

24.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.33

3.19%

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

Last update for Brookings, SD: July 25, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,622 in Brookings, SD versus $621 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Brookings, SD versus $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $416 in Brookings, SD vs $291 in Phuket – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Brookings, SD costs about 104% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,868 per month in Brookings, SD and $1,896 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Phuket, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $40.00 in Brookings, SD and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% more in Brookings, SD, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Brookings, SD at $2,579. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Brookings, SD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,264 versus $2,579 in Brookings, SD. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Phuket. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Brookings, SD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.