Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilton Head Island, SC and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Hilton Head Island, SC and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,895 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,729 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,563 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Hilton Head Island, SC costs about 129% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Hilton Head Island, SC sits 117% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.74 $19.74

$4.48 ฿150

340.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.3 $60.3

$45.59 ฿1,521

32.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 $12.20

$8.76 ฿292

39.27%

Cappuccino

$4.69 $4.69

$2.97 ฿99.0

57.91%

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

$2.90 $2.90

$0.69 ฿22.90

320.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.39 ฿13.04

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.68 $4.68

$2.53 ฿84.4

84.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.44 $5.44

$3.75 ฿125

45.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$2.15 ฿71.6

-65.12%

White Bread (500g)

$3.54 $3.54

$1.82 ฿60.6

94.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$2.18 ฿72.9

38.07%

Eggs

$2.91 $2.91

$2.25 ฿75.0

29.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.56 $8.56

$20.00 ฿667

-57.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 $9.12

$3.63 ฿121

151.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 $12.98

$13.56 ฿452

-4.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$3.24 ฿108

38.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.64 ฿54.6

-13.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.33 ฿77.8

40.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.07 ฿69.1

91.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 $2.74

$1.55 ฿51.6

76.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.37 $3.37

$1.46 ฿48.54

130.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.04 $3.04

$0.98 ฿32.86

210.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 $2.69

$0.48 ฿16.09

460.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.16 $8.16

$4.35 ฿145

87.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 $14.53

$18.57 ฿620

-21.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$1.86 ฿61.9

7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 $3.32

$2.65 ฿88.6

25.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.42 ฿47.28

37.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 $3.99

$3.17 ฿106

25.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.47 $2.47

$1.03 ฿34.41

139.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.52 $24.52

$13.89 ฿463

76.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.66 $0.66

$1.34 ฿44.84

-50.75%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

-3.83%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-23.88%

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

$192 $192

$123 ฿4,105

56.00%

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

$43.20 $43.20

$13.77 ฿459

213.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 $59.6

$18.33 ฿611

225.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.09 $20.09

$60.7 ฿2,025

-66.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$13.94 $13.94

$8.87 ฿296

57.16%

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

$1,323 $1,323

$688 ฿22.9K

92.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.2K $11.2K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

-29.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.37 $34.37

$59.3 ฿1,978

-42.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.58 $35.58

$34.69 ฿1,157

2.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.1 $80.1

$115 ฿3,843

-30.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 $69.0

$83.8 ฿2,794

-17.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,122 $2,122

$621 ฿20.7K

241.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 $1,779

$446 ฿14.9K

298.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,315 $2,315

$2,034 ฿67.8K

13.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,261 $2,261

$1,496 ฿49.9K

51.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,672 $3,672

$3,455 ฿115.3K

6.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,682 $3,682

$2,531 ฿84.4K

45.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,479 $3,479

$494 ฿16.5K

604.86%

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 Hilton Head Island, SC: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,122 in Hilton Head Island, SC versus $621 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 605% higher in Hilton Head Island, SC, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $60.0 in Hilton Head Island, SC versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $346 vs $291 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Hilton Head Island, SC vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hilton Head Island, SC costs about 129% more than Phuket, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,342 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC and $1,896 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,895 in Hilton Head Island, SC and $1,264 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,323 per month in Hilton Head Island, SC and $688 in Phuket. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,264, than in Hilton Head Island, SC at $2,895. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hilton Head Island, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,264 versus $2,895 in Hilton Head Island, SC. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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, Hilton Head Island, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.