Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, NC and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Burlington, NC and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,544 per month in Burlington, NC vs $1,261 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,692 per month in Burlington, NC vs $2,276 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,841 per month in Burlington, NC vs $3,291 in Phuket, rent included.

Burlington, NC costs about 102% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Burlington, NC sits 90% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.30 $19.30

$4.53 ฿153

326.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$46.36 ฿1,565

58.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.14 $11.14

$8.65 ฿292

28.79%

Cappuccino

$5.17 $5.17

$3.09 ฿104

67.31%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$0.68 ฿22.89

283.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.37 ฿12.44

445.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.08 $6.08

$2.42 ฿81.6

151.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$3.81 ฿129

86.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$2.18 ฿73.5

-51.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.43 $3.43

$1.82 ฿61.3

88.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$2.18 ฿73.5

96.33%

Eggs

$4.08 $4.08

$2.24 ฿75.4

82.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.30 $12.30

$19.93 ฿673

-38.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.25 $11.25

$3.64 ฿123

209.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.41 $15.41

$13.56 ฿458

13.64%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 $5.00

$3.29 ฿111

51.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.69 ฿56.9

-2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$2.33 ฿78.8

77.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$2.03 ฿68.4

134.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$1.60 ฿54.0

73.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.49 ฿50.5

87.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.01 ฿34.17

101.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$0.48 ฿16.09

339.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.63 $9.63

$4.45 ฿150

116.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.17 $14.17

$18.63 ฿629

-23.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.79 ฿60.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.80 ฿94.4

22.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.42 ฿47.90

39.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.09 ฿104

16.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.04 ฿35.19

50.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$13.63 ฿460

117.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.31 ฿44.23

-31.30%

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

$29.4K $29.4K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

7.69%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-22.17%

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

$184 $184

$123 ฿4,157

49.63%

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

$52.5 $52.5

$13.81 ฿466

280.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.2 $67.2

$18.52 ฿625

262.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.13 $43.13

$60.4 ฿2,037

-28.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$13.44 $13.44

$8.89 ฿300

51.18%

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

$1,323 $1,323

$687 ฿23.2K

92.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

51.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.1 $50.1

$57.6 ฿1,945

-13.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.63 $40.63

$34.66 ฿1,170

17.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.0 $88.0

$115 ฿3,879

-23.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$84.9 ฿2,865

30.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 $1,621

$618 ฿20.8K

162.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,328 $1,328

$443 ฿15.0K

199.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,665 $2,665

$2,047 ฿69.1K

30.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 $2,257

$1,506 ฿50.8K

49.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 $2,788

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-21.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,406 $2,406

$2,511 ฿84.7K

-4.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.33

22.14%

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

Last update for Burlington, NC: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,621 in Burlington, NC versus $618 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 $74.0 in Burlington, NC versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $384 vs $292 – 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

Burlington, NC vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,544 in Burlington, NC, $1,261 in Phuket – roughly 102% apart. Burlington, NC costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,816 per month in Burlington, NC and $1,891 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,544 in Burlington, NC and $1,261 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,323 per month in Burlington, NC and $687 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,261, than in Burlington, NC at $2,544. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Burlington, NC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,261 in Phuket to $2,544 in Burlington, NC. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Burlington, NC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.