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 $2,573 per month in Brookings, SD vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,502 per month in Brookings, SD vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,431 per month in Brookings, SD vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Brookings, SD costs about 109% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Brookings, SD sits 88% above the global median, while Phuket is 10% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.36 $17.36

$4.41 ฿147

293.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.82 $39.82

$32.26 ฿1,074

23.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.44 $11.44

$8.93 ฿297

28.11%

Cappuccino

$4.58 $4.58

$2.90 ฿96.4

57.93%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$0.88 ฿29.30

181.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.48 ฿16.01

327.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 $5.94

$2.35 ฿78.3

152.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$3.72 ฿124

91.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$1.87 ฿62.1

-54.55%

White Bread (500g)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.47 ฿48.81

137.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$1.55 ฿51.7

337.42%

Eggs

$3.99 $3.99

$2.10 ฿70.0

90.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.23 $10.23

$19.59 ฿652

-47.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.63 $13.63

$3.42 ฿114

298.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.79 $12.79

$11.38 ฿379

12.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$2.98 ฿99.3

98.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.68 ฿56.1

7.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$2.21 ฿73.5

195.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$2.16 ฿72.0

137.50%

Potato (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$1.52 ฿50.8

196.71%

Onion (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$1.34 ฿44.55

207.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.13 ฿37.57

98.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.55 ฿18.19

267.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.18 $13.18

$4.26 ฿142

209.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.08 $12.08

$19.09 ฿635

-36.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.78 ฿59.2

61.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.82 $5.82

$2.78 ฿92.6

109.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.15 $5.15

$3.03 ฿101

69.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.02 ฿34.06

69.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.13 $24.13

$3.89 ฿130

520.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.49 ฿49.63

-32.89%

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

$36.4K $36.4K

$26.6K ฿884.9K

37.09%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$27.0K ฿899.8K

-4.32%

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

$157 $157

$102 ฿3,411

53.37%

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

$54.0 $54.0

$11.33 ฿377

376.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.8 $68.8

$17.40 ฿579

295.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$12.07 $12.07

$7.69 ฿256

56.96%

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

$1,369 $1,369

$561 ฿18.7K

144.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.7K $35.7K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

210.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.61 $42.61

$63.0 ฿2,098

-32.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.42 $35.42

$29.52 ฿983

19.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 $89.3

$98.0 ฿3,263

-8.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$88.5 ฿2,946

18.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,702 $1,702

$738 ฿24.6K

130.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,430 $1,430

$482 ฿16.1K

196.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 $2,044

$2,107 ฿70.1K

-2.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 $2,094

$1,226 ฿40.8K

70.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,716 $2,716

$3,617 ฿120.4K

-24.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,106 $3,106

$2,603 ฿86.7K

19.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

5.57

-1.26%

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

Last update for Brookings, SD: September 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,702 in Brookings, SD versus $738 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 $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $421 vs $274 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 109% 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 $3,859 per month in Brookings, SD and $1,847 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 $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 54% 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 $1,232, than in Brookings, SD at $2,573. 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 $1,232 versus $2,573 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.