Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingsport, TN and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Kingsport, TN and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,049 per month in Kingsport, TN vs $1,250 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,221 per month in Kingsport, TN vs $2,284 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,394 per month in Kingsport, TN vs $3,317 in Phuket, rent included.

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

Kingsport, TN sits 53% above the global median, while Phuket is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.71 $17.71

$4.55 ฿153

289.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.23 $49.23

$46.18 ฿1,553

6.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.16 $10.16

$8.84 ฿297

14.93%

Cappuccino

$4.69 $4.69

$3.06 ฿103

53.27%

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

$2.45 $2.45

$0.73 ฿24.40

235.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 $1.89

$0.40 ฿13.39

372.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.43 ฿81.8

26.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.81 $7.81

$3.78 ฿127

106.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.91 $0.91

$2.26 ฿76.0

-59.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.81 ฿60.9

23.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.25 ฿75.8

92.00%

Eggs

$4.02 $4.02

$2.25 ฿75.5

78.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.77 $16.77

$19.51 ฿656

-14.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 $5.84

$3.65 ฿123

60.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 $14.14

$13.05 ฿439

8.35%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 $5.60

$3.23 ฿109

73.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.62 ฿54.4

-2.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.41 $6.41

$2.38 ฿80.1

169.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.03 ฿68.1

94.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.53 ฿51.6

150.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.50 ฿50.5

84.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.98 ฿32.91

81.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.52 ฿17.39

273.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.18 $8.18

$4.44 ฿149

84.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.08 $10.08

$18.32 ฿616

-44.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.86 ฿62.7

-4.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.68 ฿90.1

23.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.41 ฿47.46

40.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 $3.07

$3.11 ฿105

-1.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.32 $2.32

$1.04 ฿35.06

123.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.05 $30.05

$14.11 ฿474

112.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.74 $0.74

$1.31 ฿44.10

-43.51%

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

$17.2K $17.2K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

-38.04%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-25.48%

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

$141 $141

$122 ฿4,118

15.25%

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

$49.10 $49.10

$13.59 ฿457

261.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.0 $71.0

$18.70 ฿629

279.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.73 $41.73

$60.5 ฿2,034

-31.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$13.17 $13.17

$9.07 ฿305

45.20%

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

$884 $884

$706 ฿23.8K

25.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K $24.4K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

54.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 $49.25

$58.6 ฿1,969

-15.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.28 $36.28

$35.36 ฿1,189

2.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$115 ฿3,883

-10.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 $158

$83.7 ฿2,816

88.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 $1,053

$626 ฿21.0K

68.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$932 $932

$445 ฿15.0K

109.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,460 $2,460

$2,040 ฿68.6K

20.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,945 $1,945

$1,492 ฿50.2K

30.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,881 $1,881

$3,483 ฿117.1K

-45.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,875 $1,875

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-27.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,851 $3,851

$500 ฿16.8K

670.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.33

22.14%

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

Last update for Kingsport, TN: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,053 in Kingsport, TN versus $626 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 671% higher in Kingsport, 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 Kingsport, TN versus $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $353 vs $289 – 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $2,049 in Kingsport, TN, $1,250 in Phuket – roughly 64% apart. Kingsport, TN costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,073 per month in Kingsport, TN and $1,875 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 Kingsport, TN and $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Kingsport, TN, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,250, than in Kingsport, TN at $2,049. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Kingsport, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Phuket has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,250 in Phuket to $2,049 in Kingsport, TN. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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