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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,239 in Hickory, NC versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,219 in Hickory, NC versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,199 in Hickory, NC versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Hickory, NC is roughly 78% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hickory, NC is 67% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.63 $19.63

$4.56 ฿149

330.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.5 $70.5

$46.63 ฿1,519

51.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 $10.85

$8.47 ฿276

28.10%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$3.03 ฿98.6

83.50%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$0.69 ฿22.45

307.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$0.37 ฿11.92

535.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.16 $6.16

$2.49 ฿81.0

147.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 $6.89

$3.66 ฿119

88.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$2.18 ฿71.0

-57.80%

White Bread (500g)

$3.59 $3.59

$1.90 ฿62.0

88.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$2.20 ฿71.6

109.55%

Eggs

$2.57 $2.57

$2.22 ฿72.4

15.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$19.99 ฿651

-37.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 $9.08

$3.66 ฿119

148.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.49 $19.49

$13.25 ฿432

47.09%

Apples (1kg)

$5.79 $5.79

$3.23 ฿105

79.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.70 ฿55.3

-22.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.38 $7.38

$2.39 ฿78.0

208.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.08 ฿67.7

171.15%

Potato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$1.59 ฿51.8

194.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$1.48 ฿48.31

147.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.03 ฿33.54

81.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$0.52 ฿16.83

315.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.80 $6.80

$4.25 ฿138

60.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$18.79 ฿612

-18.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.76 ฿57.2

-7.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.76 ฿89.8

10.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.36 ฿44.32

-9.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.79 $45.79

$11.36 ฿370

303.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$3.14 ฿102

10.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.04 ฿33.74

51.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.67 $17.67

$13.77 ฿448

28.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.34 ฿43.79

-44.78%

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

$35.8K $35.8K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

29.48%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-26.84%

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

$160 $160

$124 ฿4,025

29.24%

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

$54.6 $54.6

$13.52 ฿440

303.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.6 $62.6

$18.69 ฿609

235.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.06 $35.06

$61.8 ฿2,013

-43.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$13.21 $13.21

$9.14 ฿298

44.53%

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

$1,705 $1,705

$703 ฿22.9K

142.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

-36.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.27 $46.27

$59.5 ฿1,937

-22.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.26 $46.26

$35.07 ฿1,142

31.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 $97.7

$115 ฿3,754

-15.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$84.1 ฿2,737

66.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 $1,212

$619 ฿20.1K

95.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$990 $990

$433 ฿14.1K

128.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,929 $1,929

$2,062 ฿67.2K

-6.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,276 $1,276

$1,511 ฿49.2K

-15.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,255 $2,255

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-38.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,140 $2,140

$2,626 ฿85.5K

-18.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,549 $4,549

$507 ฿16.5K

797.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.85

5.33

-9.01%

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

Last update for Hickory, NC: June 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,212 in Hickory, NC and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hickory, NC pays 797% 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: $70.0 in Hickory, NC vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $409 vs $293 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

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

Hickory, NC and Phuket differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($2,239 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Hickory, NC pays 797% more on average, 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: $1,212 in Hickory, NC versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $70.0 in Hickory, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,239 per month in Hickory, NC versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,239 in Hickory, NC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Hickory, NC. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Hickory, 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 78% less than in Hickory, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.