😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,391 in Greenwood, SC versus $1,265 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,404 in Greenwood, SC versus $2,297 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,416 in Greenwood, SC versus $3,329 in Phuket.
😐Living in Greenwood, SC is roughly 89% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Greenwood, SC is 78% above, Phuket is 6% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.02$13.02
$4.70฿154
177.02%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.7$60.7
$45.37฿1,483
33.79%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.91$9.91
$8.43฿276
17.56%
Cappuccino
$5.87$5.87
$2.93฿95.7
100.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94$1.94
$0.69฿22.42
181.16%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.01$2.01
$0.37฿12.00
443.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.94$3.94
$2.41฿78.7
63.49%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.14$5.14
$3.72฿122
38.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.56$0.56
$2.23฿73.0
-74.89%
White Bread(500g)
$2.18$2.18
$1.83฿59.9
19.13%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.21$2.21
$2.17฿70.9
1.84%
Eggs
$3.43$3.43
$2.21฿72.4
55.20%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.04$9.04
$19.74฿645
-54.20%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.02$9.02
$3.63฿119
148.48%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.34$15.34
$13.53฿442
13.38%
Apples(1kg)
$2.22$2.22
$3.28฿107
-32.32%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64$1.64
$1.61฿52.7
1.86%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.15$2.15
$2.41฿78.7
-10.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.15$2.15
$2.08฿68.1
3.37%
Potato(1kg)
$2.26$2.26
$1.53฿49.97
47.71%
Onion(1kg)
$2.25$2.25
$1.48฿48.41
52.03%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.27$2.27
$0.99฿32.32
129.29%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.99$1.99
$0.51฿16.68
290.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.16$7.16
$4.41฿144
62.36%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.89$8.89
$19.38฿634
-54.13%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75$1.75
$1.78฿58.1
-1.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96$1.96
$2.71฿88.7
-27.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.99$1.99
$1.37฿44.83
45.26%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.39฿372
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.42$4.42
$3.02฿98.7
46.36%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.46$1.46
$0.99฿32.51
47.47%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$42.49$42.49
$14.10฿461
201.35%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.73$0.73
$1.36฿44.55
-46.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$33.3K$33.3K
$28.2K฿921.9K
18.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.2K$24.2K
$32.9K฿1.1M
-26.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$151$151
$122฿3,978
24.39%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$65.8$65.8
$13.57฿444
385.11%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$57.8$57.8
$18.31฿599
215.40%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$43.31$43.31
$60.2฿1,969
-28.08%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.14฿560
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.09$10.09
$8.69฿284
16.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$671$671
$693฿22.7K
-3.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$25.9K$25.9K
$15.7K฿512.8K
65.24%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$34.70$34.70
$59.5฿1,946
-41.71%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.5$50.5
$34.77฿1,137
45.27%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$83.9$83.9
$115฿3,746
-26.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$118$118
$83.3฿2,723
41.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,576$1,576
$613฿20.0K
156.99%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,361$1,361
$437฿14.3K
211.30%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,614$2,614
$2,094฿68.5K
24.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,264$2,264
$1,509฿49.3K
49.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,580$1,580
$3,749฿122.6K
-57.85%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,569$1,569
$2,616฿85.5K
-40.01%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,393$5,393
$508฿16.6K
961.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
6.47
5.33
21.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Greenwood, SC: June 2, 2026
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,576 in Greenwood, SC and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Greenwood, SC pays 961% 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: $61.0 in Greenwood, SC vs $45.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $283 vs $293, with Greenwood, SC cheaper for home cooking.
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
Greenwood, SC vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Greenwood, SC or Phuket?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Greenwood, SC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Greenwood, SC or Phuket?
Greenwood, SC pays 961% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Greenwood, SC vs Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,576 in Greenwood, SC versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Greenwood, SC or Phuket?
Shoppers in Greenwood, SC pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Greenwood, SC compared to Phuket?
All in, you'll spend $2,391 per month in Greenwood, SC versus $1,265 in Phuket – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Greenwood, SC or Phuket?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,391 in Greenwood, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Greenwood, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Greenwood, SC or Phuket?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Greenwood, SC compared to Phuket?
Safety-wise, Greenwood, SC 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Greenwood, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Greenwood, SC vs other spots: cost of living compared