Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth City, NC and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Elizabeth City, NC and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,491 per month in Elizabeth City, NC vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,572 per month in Elizabeth City, NC vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,652 per month in Elizabeth City, NC vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.

Elizabeth City, NC costs about 96% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Elizabeth City, NC sits 86% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.10 $12.10

$4.66 ฿150

159.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.81 $34.81

$46.44 ฿1,496

-25.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.89 $9.89

$8.68 ฿280

13.94%

Cappuccino

$5.49 $5.49

$2.95 ฿95.0

86.10%

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

$2.32 $2.32

$0.70 ฿22.52

231.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.39 ฿12.70

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.49 $5.49

$2.53 ฿81.6

117.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$3.78 ฿122

55.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$2.22 ฿71.5

-58.11%

White Bread (500g)

$4.04 $4.04

$1.80 ฿57.8

124.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.19 ฿70.4

50.23%

Eggs

$4.56 $4.56

$2.31 ฿74.5

97.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.92 $10.92

$19.34 ฿623

-43.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.47 $11.47

$3.77 ฿121

204.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.39 $16.39

$13.22 ฿426

23.98%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 $4.44

$3.33 ฿107

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.65 ฿53.1

-12.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$2.29 ฿73.7

93.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$1.99 ฿64.1

115.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.53 ฿49.24

46.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.51 ฿48.77

46.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.03 ฿33.12

92.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.51 ฿16.57

335.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.28 $7.28

$4.41 ฿142

65.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.40 $15.40

$19.41 ฿625

-20.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.80 ฿58.0

17.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.68 ฿86.4

13.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 $1.97

$1.43 ฿46.11

37.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.04 ฿97.9

-19.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.04 ฿33.37

61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.24 $15.24

$13.68 ฿441

11.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 $0.77

$1.30 ฿41.85

-40.77%

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

$30.0K $30.0K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

7.37%

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

$27.0K $27.0K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-18.14%

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

$188 $188

$123 ฿3,962

52.67%

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

$65.1 $65.1

$13.82 ฿445

371.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$18.86 ฿608

219.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.21 $42.21

$61.2 ฿1,970

-30.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$14.91 $14.91

$8.87 ฿286

68.09%

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

$1,490 $1,490

$696 ฿22.4K

113.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.8K $23.8K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

48.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.2 $51.2

$59.3 ฿1,910

-13.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.24 $39.24

$34.85 ฿1,123

12.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 $89.6

$113 ฿3,646

-20.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$85.1 ฿2,740

64.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$615 ฿19.8K

155.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,336 $1,336

$448 ฿14.4K

197.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,586 $2,586

$2,085 ฿67.2K

24.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,263 $2,263

$1,496 ฿48.2K

51.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,645 $2,645

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-29.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,397 $2,397

$2,662 ฿85.8K

-9.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

5.33

22.51%

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

Last update for Elizabeth City, NC: April 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,572 in Elizabeth City, NC versus $615 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 $35 in Elizabeth City, NC versus $46 in Phuket. Groceries tell a different story – $384 in Elizabeth City, NC vs $291 in Phuket – so Phuket wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,491 in Elizabeth City, NC, $1,270 in Phuket – roughly 96% apart. Elizabeth City, NC costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,737 per month in Elizabeth City, NC and $1,904 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Elizabeth City, NC and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Elizabeth City, NC, 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 $1,270, than in Elizabeth City, NC at $2,491. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Elizabeth City, 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 $1,270 in Phuket to $2,491 in Elizabeth City, 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, Elizabeth City, NC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.