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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,375 per month in Lenoir City, TN vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,310 per month in Lenoir City, TN vs $2,255 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,245 per month in Lenoir City, TN vs $3,279 in Phuket, rent included.

Lenoir City, TN costs about 93% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lenoir City, TN sits 77% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.18 $12.18

$4.63 ฿151

163.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.83 $34.83

$46.84 ฿1,532

-25.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.12 $10.12

$8.84 ฿289

14.48%

Cappuccino

$4.03 $4.03

$3.00 ฿98.0

34.33%

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

$2.19 $2.19

$0.74 ฿24.25

195.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$0.37 ฿11.95

397.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.69 $4.69

$2.44 ฿79.8

92.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.11 $5.11

$3.61 ฿118

41.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 $0.71

$2.26 ฿73.9

-68.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.84 ฿60.1

17.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.24 ฿73.4

100.00%

Eggs

$3.15 $3.15

$2.32 ฿75.7

35.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.62 $7.62

$19.67 ฿643

-61.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$3.65 ฿119

51.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 $7.51

$13.10 ฿428

-42.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$3.39 ฿111

33.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.64 ฿53.7

-25.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.41 ฿79.0

46.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$2.03 ฿66.4

116.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.56 ฿50.9

39.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.50 ฿48.94

88.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.02 ฿33.50

44.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$0.49 ฿16.00

265.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.79 $7.79

$4.45 ฿145

75.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.96 $11.96

$18.88 ฿617

-36.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.78 ฿58.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.75 ฿90.1

-36.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.40 ฿45.81

45.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.88 $4.88

$3.12 ฿102

56.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.00 ฿32.67

51.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.00 $29.00

$14.09 ฿461

105.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.35 ฿44.19

-39.26%

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

$23.3K $23.3K

$27.2K ฿888.9K

-14.34%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-24.54%

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

$145 $145

$125 ฿4,087

15.71%

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

$59.6 $59.6

$13.57 ฿444

338.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 $59.0

$18.52 ฿606

218.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.73 $42.73

$61.5 ฿2,010

-30.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$14.92 $14.92

$9.19 ฿300

62.35%

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

$807 $807

$698 ฿22.8K

15.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K $25.2K

$15.6K ฿509.9K

61.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.57 $42.57

$57.8 ฿1,889

-26.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.59 $34.59

$35.24 ฿1,152

-1.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 $73.9

$113 ฿3,699

-34.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$86.4 ฿2,825

84.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,594 $1,594

$616 ฿20.1K

158.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 $1,364

$446 ฿14.6K

205.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 $2,608

$2,048 ฿67.0K

27.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 $2,197

$1,492 ฿48.8K

47.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,697 $2,697

$3,779 ฿123.6K

-28.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,360 $2,360

$2,649 ฿86.6K

-10.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,257 $3,257

$524 ฿17.1K

521.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-6.19%

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

Last update for Lenoir City, TN: April 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,594 in Lenoir City, TN versus $616 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 522% higher in Lenoir 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 $35.00 in Lenoir City, TN versus $47.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $292 – making Lenoir City, TN 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

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

Lenoir City, TN costs about 93% 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 $3,562 per month in Lenoir City, TN and $1,847 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 $35.00 in Lenoir City, TN and $47.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Lenoir City, TN – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,232, than in Lenoir City, TN at $2,375. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in Lenoir City, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,232 versus $2,375 in Lenoir City, TN. 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, Lenoir City, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.