Cost of Living Comparison Between Johnson City, TN and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Johnson City, TN and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,069 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,019 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $2,297 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,968 per month in Johnson City, TN vs $3,329 in Phuket, rent included.

Johnson City, TN costs about 64% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Johnson City, TN sits 54% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.78 $12.78

$4.70 ฿153

171.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.26 $49.26

$45.37 ฿1,482

8.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.80 $11.80

$8.43 ฿275

39.98%

Cappuccino

$3.79 $3.79

$2.93 ฿95.6

29.35%

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

$2.10 $2.10

$0.69 ฿22.40

204.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$0.37 ฿11.99

370.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.06 $5.06

$2.41 ฿78.6

109.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.72 ฿122

57.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$2.23 ฿72.9

-55.16%

White Bread (500g)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.83 ฿59.8

109.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.17 ฿70.8

41.01%

Eggs

$3.28 $3.28

$2.21 ฿72.3

48.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 $7.49

$19.74 ฿645

-62.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.43 $8.43

$3.63 ฿119

132.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.30 $13.30

$13.53 ฿442

-1.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$3.28 ฿107

22.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.61 ฿52.6

0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$2.41 ฿78.6

64.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.08 ฿68.1

73.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.53 ฿49.93

59.48%

Onion (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.48 ฿48.36

146.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.99 ฿32.29

87.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$0.51 ฿16.67

335.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.33 $7.33

$4.41 ฿144

66.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.20 $13.20

$19.38 ฿633

-31.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.78 ฿58.1

-8.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 $4.09

$2.71 ฿88.6

50.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.37 ฿44.79

86.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.08 $37.08

$11.39 ฿372

225.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.40 $5.40

$3.02 ฿98.6

78.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.48 $1.48

$0.99 ฿32.48

49.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$64.1 $64.1

$14.10 ฿461

354.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.36 ฿44.51

-42.65%

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

$29.9K $29.9K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

6.05%

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

$22.4K $22.4K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-31.90%

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

$151 $151

$122 ฿3,975

23.82%

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

$74.6 $74.6

$13.57 ฿443

449.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.1 $52.1

$18.31 ฿598

184.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.39 $47.39

$60.2 ฿1,967

-21.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.31 $20.31

$17.14 ฿560

18.49%

Cinema Ticket

$12.94 $12.94

$8.69 ฿284

48.91%

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

$909 $909

$693 ฿22.6K

31.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K $14.7K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-6.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.32 $39.32

$59.5 ฿1,944

-33.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.77 $36.77

$34.77 ฿1,136

5.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 $62.7

$115 ฿3,743

-45.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 $116

$83.3 ฿2,720

39.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,182 $1,182

$613 ฿20.0K

92.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 $1,023

$437 ฿14.3K

134.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,035 $2,035

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-2.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,636 $1,636

$1,509 ฿49.3K

8.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,156 $2,156

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-42.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,218 $2,218

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-15.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,409 $3,409

$508 ฿16.6K

570.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.15

5.33

15.38%

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

Last update for Johnson City, TN: June 2, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,182 in Johnson City, TN versus $613 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 571% higher in Johnson City, TN, 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 $49.00 in Johnson City, TN versus $45.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $333 vs $293 – 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

Johnson City, TN vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Johnson City, TN is pricier by about 64%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,104 per month in Johnson City, TN and $1,898 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Johnson City, TN and $45.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,069 in Johnson City, TN and $1,265 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,265, than in Johnson City, TN at $2,069. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johnson City, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Phuket – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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, Johnson City, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.