Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, TN and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbia, TN and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,286 in Columbia, TN versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,435 in Columbia, TN versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,585 in Columbia, TN versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Columbia, TN is roughly 86% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Columbia, TN is 67% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.20 $12.20

$4.41 ฿147

176.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.3 $59.3

$32.26 ฿1,073

83.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$8.93 ฿297

14.00%

Cappuccino

$3.83 $3.83

$2.90 ฿96.3

32.07%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$0.88 ฿29.27

152.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 $1.64

$0.48 ฿16.00

241.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 $6.68

$2.35 ฿78.2

184.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.31 $7.31

$3.72 ฿124

96.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$1.87 ฿62.0

-51.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.47 ฿48.75

96.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.55 ฿51.6

164.52%

Eggs

$2.60 $2.60

$2.10 ฿69.9

23.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.10 $13.10

$19.59 ฿651

-33.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$3.42 ฿114

87.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.34 $13.34

$11.38 ฿378

17.22%

Apples (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$2.98 ฿99.2

91.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.68 ฿56.0

-26.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.90 $5.90

$2.21 ฿73.5

166.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$2.16 ฿71.9

85.19%

Potato (1kg)

$3.10 $3.10

$1.52 ฿50.7

103.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.85 $3.85

$1.34 ฿44.49

187.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.13 ฿37.53

127.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$0.55 ฿18.17

376.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.90 $10.90

$4.26 ฿142

155.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.93 $12.93

$19.09 ฿635

-32.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$2.78 ฿92.5

-40.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.03 $2.03

$3.03 ฿101

-33.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.02 ฿34.02

31.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.75 $19.75

$3.89 ฿129

407.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.49 ฿49.57

-53.02%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$26.6K ฿883.8K

37.89%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$27.0K ฿898.7K

-2.15%

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

$153 $153

$102 ฿3,407

49.11%

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

$61.1 $61.1

$11.33 ฿377

439.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$17.40 ฿578

324.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.66 $35.66

$52.1 ฿1,732

-31.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$11.87 $11.87

$7.69 ฿256

54.36%

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

$592 $592

$561 ฿18.6K

5.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$11.5K ฿382.6K

118.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.25 $39.25

$63.0 ฿2,096

-37.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.19 $33.19

$29.52 ฿982

12.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.2 $81.2

$98.0 ฿3,259

-17.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 $91.5

$88.5 ฿2,943

3.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,358 $1,358

$738 ฿24.5K

83.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,241 $1,241

$482 ฿16.0K

157.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,555 $2,555

$2,107 ฿70.0K

21.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,343 $2,343

$1,226 ฿40.8K

91.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,484 $2,484

$494 ฿16.4K

403.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.11

5.57

9.69%

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

Last update for Columbia, TN: September 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,358 in Columbia, TN and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Columbia, TN pays 403% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $59.0 in Columbia, TN vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $353 vs $274 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 403% higher in Columbia, TN, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,358 in Columbia, TN versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $592 in Columbia, TN versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $59.0 in Columbia, TN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,286 in Columbia, TN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Columbia, TN. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Columbia, TN, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Columbia, TN and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Columbia, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.