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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,612 in Manchester, TN versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,623 in Manchester, TN versus $2,286 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,635 in Manchester, TN versus $3,310 in Phuket.

Living in Manchester, TN is roughly 107% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manchester, TN is 94% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.16 $13.16

$4.56 ฿149

188.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.64 $31.64

$46.63 ฿1,519

-32.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.08 $9.08

$8.47 ฿276

7.20%

Cappuccino

$4.27 $4.27

$3.03 ฿98.6

40.92%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$0.69 ฿22.45

260.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.37 ฿11.92

445.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.43 $6.43

$2.49 ฿81.0

158.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.66 ฿119

12.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.18 ฿71.0

-59.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.84 $3.84

$1.90 ฿62.0

102.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.56 $4.56

$2.20 ฿71.6

107.27%

Eggs

$4.58 $4.58

$2.22 ฿72.4

106.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.66 $5.66

$19.99 ฿651

-71.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.41 $5.41

$3.66 ฿119

47.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.08 $11.08

$13.25 ฿432

-16.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.83 $4.83

$3.23 ฿105

49.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.70 ฿55.3

-1.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.46 $4.46

$2.39 ฿78.0

86.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$2.08 ฿67.7

92.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$1.59 ฿51.8

135.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$1.48 ฿48.31

129.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.37 $2.37

$1.03 ฿33.54

130.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.52 ฿16.83

371.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 $4.61

$4.25 ฿138

8.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.78 $14.78

$18.79 ฿612

-21.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.76 ฿57.2

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.76 ฿89.8

-42.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.36 ฿44.32

43.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.14 ฿102

-7.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.04 ฿33.74

47.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.15 $40.15

$13.77 ฿448

191.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.34 ฿43.79

-35.82%

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

$33.0K $33.0K

$27.7K ฿901.4K

19.18%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$33.9K ฿1.1M

-24.95%

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

$282 $282

$124 ฿4,025

128.13%

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

$54.5 $54.5

$13.52 ฿440

303.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 $60.4

$18.69 ฿609

223.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.32 $43.32

$61.8 ฿2,013

-29.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

Cinema Ticket

$15.96 $15.96

$9.14 ฿298

74.62%

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

$1,330 $1,330

$703 ฿22.9K

89.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$15.9K ฿517.0K

88.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 $68.5

$59.5 ฿1,937

15.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.56 $39.56

$35.07 ฿1,142

12.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.8 $99.8

$115 ฿3,754

-13.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 $126

$84.1 ฿2,737

49.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$619 ฿20.1K

160.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 $1,372

$433 ฿14.1K

217.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,647 $2,647

$2,062 ฿67.2K

28.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,178 $2,178

$1,511 ฿49.2K

44.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,364 $2,364

$3,646 ฿118.7K

-35.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,693 $2,693

$2,626 ฿85.5K

2.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

5.33

23.08%

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

Last update for Manchester, TN: June 7, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,612 in Manchester, TN and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Manchester, TN vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $331 vs $293, with Phuket cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 107% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,918 in Manchester, TN and $1,892 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,612 in Manchester, TN versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Manchester, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,612 per month in Manchester, TN versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,612 in Manchester, TN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Manchester, TN. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Manchester, TN, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Manchester, TN and Phuket are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Manchester, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.