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 $2,295 per month in Lenoir City, TN vs $1,265 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,194 per month in Lenoir City, TN vs $2,089 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,092 per month in Lenoir City, TN vs $2,913 in Phuket, rent included.

Lenoir City, TN costs about 81% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lenoir City, TN sits 66% above the global median, while Phuket is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.70 $15.70

$4.66 ฿154

236.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 $70.2

$32.22 ฿1,066

117.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.15 $11.15

$8.68 ฿287

28.46%

Cappuccino

$3.89 $3.89

$2.90 ฿95.9

34.14%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$0.84 ฿27.91

200.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.49 ฿16.17

316.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.92 $4.92

$2.48 ฿82.1

98.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.73 ฿123

36.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.89 ฿62.3

-50.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.41 ฿46.58

54.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$1.62 ฿53.6

166.67%

Eggs

$3.24 $3.24

$2.24 ฿74.1

44.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 $7.91

$19.84 ฿656

-60.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.57 $5.57

$3.48 ฿115

60.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.75 $7.75

$11.37 ฿376

-31.84%

Apples (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.90 ฿95.9

56.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.72 ฿57.0

-31.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$2.27 ฿75.2

98.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$2.13 ฿70.5

131.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.47 ฿48.77

53.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.42 ฿46.96

97.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.10 ฿36.29

34.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.60 ฿19.78

226.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.94 $7.94

$4.31 ฿142

84.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.05 $12.05

$18.60 ฿615

-35.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.80 ฿59.6

-6.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.97 ฿98.1

-41.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 $2.23

$2.25 ฿74.3

-0.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿777

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 $3.44

$3.10 ฿103

10.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.08 ฿35.59

38.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.92 $17.92

$3.87 ฿128

363.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.43 ฿47.20

-41.96%

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

$30.5K $30.5K

$27.8K ฿918.9K

9.63%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.0K ฿892.4K

-6.23%

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

$145 $145

$105 ฿3,466

38.69%

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

$59.2 $59.2

$11.39 ฿377

419.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.6 $59.6

$17.54 ฿580

239.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.41 $42.41

$54.3 ฿1,797

-21.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 $14.90

$7.78 ฿257

91.52%

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

$792 $792

$576 ฿19.1K

37.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

$11.6K ฿383.0K

-13.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.29 $42.29

$63.6 ฿2,104

-33.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.15 $36.15

$29.10 ฿962

24.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 $76.0

$96.2 ฿3,182

-20.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$90.0 ฿2,977

47.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,474 $1,474

$733 ฿24.2K

101.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 $1,295

$501 ฿16.6K

158.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,862 $1,862

$2,126 ฿70.3K

-12.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,851 $1,851

$1,252 ฿41.4K

47.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 $2,762

$3,534 ฿116.9K

-21.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,373 $2,373

$2,622 ฿86.7K

-9.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,211 $3,211

$508 ฿16.8K

532.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-10.23%

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

Last update for Lenoir City, TN: September 5, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,474 in Lenoir City, TN versus $733 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 533% 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 $70.0 in Lenoir City, TN versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $286 vs $275 – 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

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

Lenoir City, TN costs about 81% 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 $3,442 per month in Lenoir 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 $70.0 in Lenoir City, TN and $32.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Lenoir City, 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 $1,265, than in Lenoir City, TN at $2,295. 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 $1,265 versus $2,295 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.