😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,372 in Greenwood, SC versus $1,250 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,413 in Greenwood, SC versus $2,284 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,453 in Greenwood, SC versus $3,317 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Greenwood, SC is roughly 90% more expensive than in 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
$13.06$13.06
$4.55฿153
187.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.8$60.8
$46.18฿1,554
31.75%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.02$10.02
$8.84฿298
13.35%
Cappuccino
$5.74$5.74
$3.06฿103
87.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.96$1.96
$0.73฿24.42
168.49%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97$1.97
$0.40฿13.40
392.50%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.95$3.95
$2.43฿81.8
62.55%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.13$5.13
$3.78฿127
35.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.61$0.61
$2.26฿76.0
-73.01%
White Bread(500g)
$2.16$2.16
$1.81฿60.9
19.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.18$2.18
$2.25฿75.8
-3.11%
Eggs
$3.57$3.57
$2.25฿75.6
58.67%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$9.06$9.06
$19.51฿656
-53.56%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.70$8.70
$3.65฿123
138.36%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$15.17$15.17
$13.05฿439
16.25%
Apples(1kg)
$2.14$2.14
$3.23฿109
-33.75%
Banana(1kg)
$1.65$1.65
$1.62฿54.4
1.85%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25$2.25
$2.38฿80.2
-5.46%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.18$2.18
$2.03฿68.2
7.39%
Potato(1kg)
$2.24$2.24
$1.53฿51.6
46.41%
Onion(1kg)
$2.14$2.14
$1.50฿50.5
42.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.28$2.28
$0.98฿32.93
132.65%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.94$1.94
$0.52฿17.40
273.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$7.17$7.17
$4.44฿149
61.49%
Wine(Bottle)
$9.10$9.10
$18.32฿616
-50.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.76$1.76
$1.86฿62.7
-5.38%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.02$2.02
$2.68฿90.2
-24.63%
🚌 Getting Around
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.05$2.05
$1.41฿47.49
45.39%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.70฿394
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$4.55$4.55
$3.11฿105
46.30%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.53$1.53
$1.04฿35.08
47.12%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$42.11$42.11
$14.11฿475
198.44%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.74$0.74
$1.31฿44.13
-43.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K$34.2K
$27.8K฿936.0K
22.92%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.6K$24.6K
$33.2K฿1.1M
-26.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$152$152
$122฿4,120
24.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$66.1$66.1
$13.59฿457
386.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$58.2$58.2
$18.70฿629
211.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$42.42$42.42
$60.5฿2,035
-29.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.98฿572
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.04$10.04
$9.07฿305
10.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$681$681
$706฿23.8K
-3.59%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$26.2K$26.2K
$15.8K฿531.8K
65.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$35.05$35.05
$58.6฿1,970
-40.14%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$49.13$49.13
$35.36฿1,190
38.94%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$86.6$86.6
$115฿3,885
-25.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$120$120
$83.7฿2,818
43.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,588$1,588
$626฿21.1K
153.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,362$1,362
$445฿15.0K
206.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,642$2,642
$2,040฿68.7K
29.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,201$2,201
$1,492฿50.2K
47.47%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,536$1,536
$3,483฿117.2K
-55.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,587$1,587
$2,577฿86.7K
-38.40%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Greenwood, SC
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$5,345$5,345
$500฿16.8K
969.40%
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: July 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,588 in Greenwood, SC and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Greenwood, SC pays 969% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $282 vs $289, 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 90% 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 in Phuket?
Average pay runs 969% higher in Greenwood, SC, 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 compared to Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,588 in Greenwood, SC versus $626 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 in 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 $2,372 per month in Greenwood, SC versus $1,250 in Phuket – a 90% 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 in Phuket?
At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,372 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 $1,250 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 90% 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