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 $2,321 per month in Lenoir City, TN vs $1,264 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,309 per month in Lenoir City, TN vs $2,256 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,298 per month in Lenoir City, TN vs $3,248 in Phuket, rent included.

Lenoir City, TN costs about 84% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Lenoir City, TN sits 74% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.81 $11.81

$4.48 ฿150

163.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.22 $35.22

$45.59 ฿1,525

-22.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 $9.86

$8.76 ฿293

12.56%

Cappuccino

$3.98 $3.98

$2.97 ฿99.3

34.01%

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

$2.22 $2.22

$0.69 ฿22.96

221.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$0.39 ฿13.07

369.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.72 $4.72

$2.53 ฿84.7

86.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.04 $5.04

$3.75 ฿125

34.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$2.15 ฿71.8

-63.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.82 ฿60.7

23.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$2.18 ฿73.1

105.50%

Eggs

$3.33 $3.33

$2.25 ฿75.2

48.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 $7.94

$20.00 ฿669

-60.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$3.63 ฿121

55.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 $7.76

$13.56 ฿453

-42.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$3.24 ฿109

37.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.64 ฿54.7

-29.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$2.33 ฿78.0

57.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.07 ฿69.3

120.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.55 ฿51.8

44.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.46 ฿48.67

84.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.53 $1.53

$0.98 ฿32.94

56.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.48 ฿16.13

287.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.14 $8.14

$4.35 ฿146

87.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.13 $12.13

$18.57 ฿621

-34.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.86 ฿62.1

-4.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.65 ฿88.8

-34.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.42 ฿47.40

43.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.99 $4.99

$3.17 ฿106

57.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.03 ฿34.51

41.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.25 $29.25

$13.89 ฿465

110.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.78 $0.78

$1.34 ฿44.96

-41.79%

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

$23.5K $23.5K

$27.8K ฿929.6K

-15.47%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-24.82%

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

$143 $143

$123 ฿4,116

16.55%

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

$60.7 $60.7

$13.77 ฿461

340.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.2 $60.2

$18.33 ฿613

228.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.81 $42.81

$60.7 ฿2,030

-29.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

Cinema Ticket

$14.93 $14.93

$8.87 ฿297

68.32%

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

$797 $797

$688 ฿23.0K

15.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.4K $25.4K

$15.8K ฿527.8K

60.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.95 $41.95

$59.3 ฿1,984

-29.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.18 $35.18

$34.69 ฿1,160

1.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 $75.6

$115 ฿3,853

-34.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$158 $158

$83.8 ฿2,802

88.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,603 $1,603

$621 ฿20.8K

158.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,351 $1,351

$446 ฿14.9K

202.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,583 $2,583

$2,034 ฿68.0K

27.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,184 $2,184

$1,496 ฿50.0K

46.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,754 $2,754

$3,455 ฿115.6K

-20.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,371 $2,371

$2,531 ฿84.7K

-6.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,202 $3,202

$494 ฿16.5K

548.60%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,603 in Lenoir City, TN versus $621 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 549% 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 $46.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $291 – 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 84% 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 $3,482 per month in Lenoir City, TN and $1,896 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 $46.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% 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 $1,264, than in Lenoir City, TN at $2,321. 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 $1,264 versus $2,321 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.