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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,551 in Jacksonville, NC versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,314 in Jacksonville, NC versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,077 in Jacksonville, NC versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Jacksonville, NC is roughly 102% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Jacksonville, NC is 90% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.69 $17.69

$4.56 ฿150

287.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$54.7 $54.7

$46.63 ฿1,535

17.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 $10.14

$8.47 ฿279

19.72%

Cappuccino

$4.79 $4.79

$3.03 ฿99.7

58.09%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$0.69 ฿22.69

268.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 $1.87

$0.37 ฿12.04

405.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.49 ฿81.9

96.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.66 ฿120

74.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$2.18 ฿71.8

-56.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 $2.15

$1.90 ฿62.6

13.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$2.20 ฿72.4

95.00%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$2.22 ฿73.2

102.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.96 $11.96

$19.99 ฿658

-40.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.41 $14.41

$3.66 ฿121

293.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.76 $27.76

$13.25 ฿436

109.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$3.23 ฿106

-33.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.70 ฿55.9

-14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.39 ฿78.8

109.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$2.08 ฿68.4

71.63%

Potato (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$1.59 ฿52.4

376.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.48 ฿48.83

145.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.40 $3.40

$1.03 ฿33.90

230.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.52 ฿17.01

265.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.59 $10.59

$4.25 ฿140

149.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.78 $13.78

$18.79 ฿618

-26.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$1.76 ฿57.8

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 $6.94

$2.76 ฿90.8

151.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.36 ฿44.79

48.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.45 $2.45

$3.14 ฿103

-21.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.04 ฿34.10

127.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.61 $28.61

$13.77 ฿453

107.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.34 ฿44.26

-41.79%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$27.7K ฿911.1K

4.29%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-18.84%

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

$170 $170

$124 ฿4,069

37.66%

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

$56.1 $56.1

$13.52 ฿445

314.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.0 $78.0

$18.69 ฿615

317.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.24 $38.24

$61.8 ฿2,035

-38.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$13.91 $13.91

$9.14 ฿301

52.19%

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

$911 $911

$703 ฿23.1K

29.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.1K $23.1K

$15.9K ฿522.5K

45.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.91 $29.91

$59.5 ฿1,958

-49.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.91 $39.91

$35.07 ฿1,154

13.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 $80.7

$115 ฿3,795

-30.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.9 $74.9

$84.1 ฿2,767

-10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 $1,204

$619 ฿20.4K

94.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 $1,369

$433 ฿14.2K

216.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,588 $1,588

$2,062 ฿67.9K

-22.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,551 $1,551

$1,511 ฿49.7K

2.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,914 $1,914

$3,646 ฿120.0K

-47.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,840 $6,840

$2,626 ฿86.4K

160.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,231 $2,231

$507 ฿16.7K

339.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

5.33

18.76%

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

Last update for Jacksonville, NC: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,204 in Jacksonville, NC and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Jacksonville, NC pays 340% 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: $55.0 in Jacksonville, NC vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $431 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

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

Jacksonville, NC and Phuket differ by about 102% in total monthly costs ($2,551 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Jacksonville, NC pays 340% 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: $1,204 in Jacksonville, NC versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $911 in Jacksonville, NC versus $703 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $55.0 in Jacksonville, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,551 in Jacksonville, NC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Jacksonville, 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, Jacksonville, 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 102% less than in Jacksonville, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.