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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,620 in Durham, NC versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,769 in Durham, NC versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,918 in Durham, NC versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Durham, NC is roughly 110% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Durham, NC is 96% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.82 $14.82

$4.55 ฿153

225.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.9 $70.9

$46.18 ฿1,554

53.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 $10.12

$8.84 ฿298

14.48%

Cappuccino

$4.66 $4.66

$3.06 ฿103

52.29%

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

$2.23 $2.23

$0.73 ฿24.42

205.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.40 ฿13.40

357.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.43 ฿81.8

107.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.32 $6.32

$3.78 ฿127

67.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.26 ฿76.0

-61.06%

White Bread (500g)

$3.86 $3.86

$1.81 ฿60.9

113.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.25 ฿75.8

66.67%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$2.25 ฿75.6

100.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$19.51 ฿656

-53.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.57 $12.57

$3.65 ฿123

244.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.51 $15.51

$13.05 ฿439

18.85%

Apples (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$3.23 ฿109

78.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.62 ฿54.4

-27.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$2.38 ฿80.2

63.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.03 ฿68.2

68.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.53 ฿51.6

64.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.50 ฿50.5

79.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.98 ฿32.93

101.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.52 ฿17.40

278.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.88 $9.88

$4.44 ฿149

122.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.16 $15.16

$18.32 ฿616

-17.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.86 ฿62.7

-8.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.68 ฿90.2

58.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.41 ฿47.49

38.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.19 $25.19

$11.70 ฿394

115.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 $2.02

$3.11 ฿105

-35.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.04 ฿35.08

50.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.40 $22.40

$14.11 ฿475

58.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 $0.81

$1.31 ฿44.13

-38.17%

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

$28.1K $28.1K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

0.98%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-21.59%

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

$162 $162

$122 ฿4,120

32.00%

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

$54.4 $54.4

$13.59 ฿457

300.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.8 $75.8

$18.70 ฿629

305.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.09 $40.09

$60.5 ฿2,035

-33.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$12.04 $12.04

$9.07 ฿305

32.75%

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

$1,267 $1,267

$706 ฿23.8K

79.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.7K $30.7K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

94.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 $52.1

$58.6 ฿1,970

-11.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.92 $34.92

$35.36 ฿1,190

-1.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 $76.6

$115 ฿3,885

-33.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$83.7 ฿2,818

41.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,882 $1,882

$626 ฿21.1K

200.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,453 $1,453

$445 ฿15.0K

226.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,529 $2,529

$2,040 ฿68.7K

23.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,332 $2,332

$1,492 ฿50.2K

56.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,683 $2,683

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-22.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,726 $2,726

$2,577 ฿86.7K

5.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,523 $4,523

$500 ฿16.8K

804.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

5.33

22.70%

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

Last update for Durham, NC: July 12, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,882 in Durham, NC and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Durham, NC pays 805% 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: $71.0 in Durham, NC vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $377 vs $289 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

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

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 110% lower than in Durham, NC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 805% higher in Durham, NC, 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: $1,882 in Durham, NC versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 115% less than in Durham, NC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,267 in Durham, NC versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,620 in Durham, NC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Durham, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,250 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Durham, NC 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 110% less than in Durham, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.