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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,954 per month in Charleston, SC vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,300 per month in Charleston, SC vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,646 per month in Charleston, SC vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

Charleston, SC costs about 136% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Charleston, SC sits 121% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.26 $18.26

$4.55 ฿153

301.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.7 $78.7

$46.18 ฿1,550

70.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.01 $10.01

$8.84 ฿297

13.24%

Cappuccino

$5.04 $5.04

$3.06 ฿103

64.71%

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

$2.44 $2.44

$0.73 ฿24.36

234.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.40 ฿13.37

390.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.95 $5.95

$2.43 ฿81.6

144.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.77 $7.77

$3.78 ฿127

105.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.26 ฿75.8

-59.29%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$1.81 ฿60.8

109.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.23 $3.23

$2.25 ฿75.7

43.56%

Eggs

$4.66 $4.66

$2.25 ฿75.4

107.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 $13.87

$19.51 ฿655

-28.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.63 $14.63

$3.65 ฿122

300.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.26 $17.26

$13.05 ฿438

32.26%

Apples (1kg)

$5.83 $5.83

$3.23 ฿109

80.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 $1.60

$1.62 ฿54.3

-1.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.47 $6.47

$2.38 ฿80.0

171.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.87 $3.87

$2.03 ฿68.0

90.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$1.53 ฿51.5

139.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.50 ฿50.4

83.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.80 $1.80

$0.98 ฿32.85

83.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$0.52 ฿17.36

255.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.60 $7.60

$4.44 ฿149

71.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.77 $19.77

$18.32 ฿615

7.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.86 ฿62.6

-0.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.68 ฿90.0

23.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.41 ฿47.37

42.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.3 $56.3

$11.70 ฿393

380.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.11 ฿104

-5.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.04 ฿35.00

48.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.68 $19.68

$14.11 ฿474

39.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.31 ฿44.02

-36.64%

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

$32.8K $32.8K

$27.8K ฿933.8K

17.92%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-26.27%

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

$138 $138

$122 ฿4,110

12.75%

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

$53.8 $53.8

$13.59 ฿456

295.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.0 $72.0

$18.70 ฿628

285.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.70 $29.70

$60.5 ฿2,031

-50.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.10 $18.10

$16.98 ฿570

6.60%

Cinema Ticket

$13.09 $13.09

$9.07 ฿305

44.32%

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

$1,304 $1,304

$706 ฿23.7K

84.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K $24.3K

$15.8K ฿530.5K

54.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.82 $49.82

$58.6 ฿1,965

-14.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.49 $36.49

$35.36 ฿1,187

3.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.6 $92.6

$115 ฿3,876

-19.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 $158

$83.7 ฿2,811

88.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 $2,502

$626 ฿21.0K

300.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 $1,692

$445 ฿14.9K

280.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,473 $4,473

$2,040 ฿68.5K

119.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,640 $2,640

$1,492 ฿50.1K

76.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,552 $5,552

$3,483 ฿116.9K

59.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,047 $3,047

$2,577 ฿86.5K

18.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,713 $4,713

$500 ฿16.8K

842.97%

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 Charleston, SC: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,502 in Charleston, SC versus $626 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 843% higher in Charleston, SC, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Charleston, SC versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $431 vs $289 – 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

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

Charleston, SC costs about 136% 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 $4,431 per month in Charleston, SC and $1,875 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.

Kindergarten costs $1,304 per month in Charleston, SC and $706 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 49% more in Charleston, SC, 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 $1,250, than in Charleston, SC at $2,954. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Charleston, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,250 versus $2,954 in Charleston, SC. 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, Charleston, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.