Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chattanooga, TN and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,611 in Chattanooga, TN, rent and utilities included – about $16,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

125

Cost of Living Index in Chattanooga, TN
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Chattanooga, TN Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Chattanooga, TN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,611

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chattanooga, TN and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chattanooga, TN and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,611 per month in Chattanooga, TN vs $1,208 in Phuket, rent included.

Chattanooga, TN $2,611
Phuket $1,208

A couple spends around $3,850 per month in Chattanooga, TN vs $2,027 in Phuket, rent included.

Chattanooga, TN $3,850
Phuket $2,027

A family of three spends $5,089 per month in Chattanooga, TN vs $2,845 in Phuket, rent included.

Chattanooga, TN $5,089
Phuket $2,845

Chattanooga, TN costs about 116% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Chattanooga, TN sits 93% above the global median, while Phuket is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$4.40 ฿147

346.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.2 $99.2

$32.26 ฿1,078

207.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 $11.15

$8.76 ฿293

27.28%

Cappuccino

$5.35 $5.35

$2.83 ฿94.5

89.05%

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

$2.34 $2.34

$0.90 ฿30.14

160.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$0.47 ฿15.56

342.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.55 ฿85.2

140.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.49 $7.49

$3.83 ฿128

95.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$1.73 ฿57.7

-35.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.47 ฿49.11

144.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$1.51 ฿50.6

163.58%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$2.17 ฿72.7

93.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.24 $14.24

$19.70 ฿658

-27.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.91 $14.91

$3.34 ฿112

346.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.45 $13.45

$11.16 ฿373

20.52%

Apples (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$2.85 ฿95.1

124.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.70 ฿56.9

-2.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.19 ฿73.3

93.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.05 ฿68.4

107.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.45 ฿48.57

90.34%

Onion (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.38 ฿46.16

160.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.07 ฿35.69

151.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$0.51 ฿16.91

433.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.27 $9.27

$4.26 ฿142

117.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.64 $17.64

$18.58 ฿621

-5.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.78 ฿59.7

12.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.85 ฿95.2

14.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.26 ฿75.6

-14.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.71 $49.71

$22.10 ฿738

124.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.01 ฿101

70.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.06 ฿35.34

81.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.07 $30.07

$3.86 ฿129

679.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.45 ฿48.45

-33.79%

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

$27.6K $27.6K

$26.3K ฿879.9K

4.76%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.9K ฿900.4K

-1.45%

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

$159 $159

$96.4 ฿3,221

64.82%

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

$82.9 $82.9

$11.04 ฿369

651.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.2 $75.2

$17.14 ฿573

338.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.22 $39.22

$52.2 ฿1,744

-24.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.95 $3.95

$11.16 ฿373

-64.61%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 $15.02

$7.81 ฿261

92.32%

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

$1,086 $1,086

$556 ฿18.6K

95.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$11.6K ฿387.0K

113.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.44 $41.44

$64.2 ฿2,146

-35.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.80 $38.80

$28.69 ฿959

35.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.9 $99.9

$95.4 ฿3,187

4.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$88.0 ฿2,940

34.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 $1,707

$737 ฿24.6K

131.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,272 $1,272

$462 ฿15.5K

175.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,190 $3,190

$2,095 ฿70.0K

52.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 $1,984

$1,201 ฿40.1K

65.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,249 $2,249

$3,488 ฿116.6K

-35.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,273 $2,273

$2,523 ฿84.3K

-9.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,984 $3,984

$501 ฿16.7K

695.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.63

5.57

19.03%

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

Last update for Chattanooga, TN: October 18, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chattanooga, TN

$1.3K 48.7%

Phuket

$462 38.3% 63.6% $809

Groceries & Markets

Chattanooga, TN

$429 16.4%

Phuket

$269 22.2% 37.3% $160

Eating Out

Chattanooga, TN

$318 12.2%

Phuket

$121 10% 61.9% $197

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chattanooga, TN

$317 12.1%

Phuket

$125 10.3% 60.7% $192

Clothing & Footwear

Chattanooga, TN

$134 5.2%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 7.5% $10

Getting Around

Chattanooga, TN

$72 2.8%

Phuket

$39 3.3% 45.4% $33

Sport & Entertainment

Chattanooga, TN

$69 2.7%

Phuket

$68 5.6% 2.1% $1.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Chattanooga, TN versus $737 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 696% higher in Chattanooga, TN, 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 $99.0 in Chattanooga, TN versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $429 vs $269 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chattanooga, TN

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

06:50 6:50 AM

17:50 5:50 PM

11 h ahead of Chattanooga, TN

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

176,588

79,308

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

On the map

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Chattanooga, TN Phuket 15,230 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Chattanooga, TN
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Chattanooga, TN vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chattanooga, TN costs about 116% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $3,917 per month in Chattanooga, TN and $1,813 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 $2,611 in Chattanooga, TN and $1,208 in Phuket. That's a gap of about 116%.

Public transport costs about 125% less in Phuket. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,208, than in Chattanooga, TN at $2,611. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chattanooga, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,208 versus $2,611 in Chattanooga, TN. 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, Chattanooga, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.