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: $2,281 in Hickory, NC versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,193 in Hickory, NC versus $2,255 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,105 in Hickory, NC versus $3,279 in Phuket.

Living in Hickory, NC is roughly 85% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Hickory, NC is 70% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.94 $19.94

$4.63 ฿151

330.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 $70.1

$46.84 ฿1,523

49.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.85 $10.85

$8.84 ฿287

22.74%

Cappuccino

$5.70 $5.70

$3.00 ฿97.4

90.00%

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

$2.69 $2.69

$0.74 ฿24.11

263.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.37 ฿11.88

518.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 $6.11

$2.44 ฿79.3

150.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.92 $6.92

$3.61 ฿117

91.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.26 ฿73.5

-57.08%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.84 ฿59.8

105.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$2.24 ฿73.0

106.70%

Eggs

$2.46 $2.46

$2.32 ฿75.3

6.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 $12.86

$19.67 ฿639

-34.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.06 $9.06

$3.65 ฿119

148.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.30 $19.30

$13.10 ฿426

47.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$3.39 ฿110

69.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.64 ฿53.4

-22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.17 $7.17

$2.41 ฿78.5

197.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$2.03 ฿66.0

189.16%

Potato (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$1.56 ฿50.6

207.69%

Onion (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.50 ฿48.66

152.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.02 ฿33.30

89.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$0.49 ฿15.91

348.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.87 $6.87

$4.45 ฿145

54.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$18.88 ฿614

-21.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.78 ฿57.7

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.75 ฿89.5

11.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.40 ฿45.54

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.15 $44.15

$11.48 ฿373

284.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.12 ฿101

8.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.00 ฿32.48

51.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.90 $17.90

$14.09 ฿458

27.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.35 ฿43.93

-40.74%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$27.2K ฿883.7K

33.09%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-25.63%

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

$154 $154

$125 ฿4,063

23.58%

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

$54.2 $54.2

$13.57 ฿441

299.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$18.52 ฿602

232.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.85 $34.85

$61.5 ฿1,999

-43.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 $13.14

$9.19 ฿299

42.98%

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

$1,677 $1,677

$698 ฿22.7K

140.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.0K $10.0K

$15.6K ฿506.9K

-35.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.53 $47.53

$57.8 ฿1,878

-17.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.97 $44.97

$35.24 ฿1,146

27.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.9 $95.9

$113 ฿3,677

-15.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$86.4 ฿2,808

61.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 $1,212

$616 ฿20.0K

96.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$969 $969

$446 ฿14.5K

117.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,933 $1,933

$2,048 ฿66.6K

-5.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,323 $1,323

$1,492 ฿48.5K

-11.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,206 $2,206

$3,779 ฿122.8K

-41.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,137 $2,137

$2,649 ฿86.1K

-19.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,395 $4,395

$524 ฿17.0K

739.09%

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: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,212 in Hickory, NC and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hickory, NC pays 739% 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 $413 vs $292 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 85% in total monthly costs ($2,281 vs $1,232 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Hickory, NC pays 739% 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 $616 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 $2,281 per month in Hickory, NC versus $1,232 in Phuket – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,281 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 85% less than in Hickory, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.