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: $2,608 in Manchester, TN versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,627 in Manchester, TN versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,646 in Manchester, TN versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Manchester, TN is roughly 106% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Manchester, TN is 96% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.78 $12.78

$4.48 ฿150

185.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 $31.97

$45.59 ฿1,521

-29.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.16 $9.16

$8.76 ฿292

4.57%

Cappuccino

$4.20 $4.20

$2.97 ฿99.0

41.41%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$0.69 ฿22.90

268.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$0.39 ฿13.04

430.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 $6.67

$2.53 ฿84.4

163.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$3.75 ฿125

12.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$2.15 ฿71.6

-58.60%

White Bread (500g)

$3.99 $3.99

$1.82 ฿60.6

119.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.18 ฿72.9

108.72%

Eggs

$4.44 $4.44

$2.25 ฿75.0

97.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.37 $5.37

$20.00 ฿667

-73.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.63 ฿121

48.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.89 $10.89

$13.56 ฿452

-19.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$3.24 ฿108

51.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.64 ฿54.6

3.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$2.33 ฿77.8

100.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.07 ฿69.1

96.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$1.55 ฿51.6

149.03%

Onion (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.46 ฿48.54

130.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.32 $2.32

$0.98 ฿32.86

136.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$0.48 ฿16.09

433.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.53 $4.53

$4.35 ฿145

4.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.03 $15.03

$18.57 ฿620

-19.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.86 ฿61.9

-9.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$2.65 ฿88.6

-42.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.42 ฿47.28

44.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.17 ฿106

-7.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.03 ฿34.41

48.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.35 $39.35

$13.89 ฿463

183.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.34 ฿44.84

-38.81%

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

$32.2K $32.2K

$27.8K ฿927.1K

15.85%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$33.4K ฿1.1M

-23.77%

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

$288 $288

$123 ฿4,105

134.16%

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

$52.9 $52.9

$13.77 ฿459

284.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.5 $59.5

$18.33 ฿611

224.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.22 $43.22

$60.7 ฿2,025

-28.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$16.46 $16.46

$8.87 ฿296

85.57%

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

$1,345 $1,345

$688 ฿22.9K

95.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.1K $30.1K

$15.8K ฿526.4K

90.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 $70.0

$59.3 ฿1,978

18.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.00 $39.00

$34.69 ฿1,157

12.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$115 ฿3,843

-10.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$83.8 ฿2,794

53.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,606 $1,606

$621 ฿20.7K

158.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,365 $1,365

$446 ฿14.9K

206.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,675 $2,675

$2,034 ฿67.8K

31.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,218 $2,218

$1,496 ฿49.9K

48.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,742 $2,742

$3,455 ฿115.3K

-20.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,637 $2,637

$2,531 ฿84.4K

4.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,606 in Manchester, TN and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Manchester, TN vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $334 vs $291, 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 106% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,912 in Manchester, TN and $1,896 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: $1,606 in Manchester, TN versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Manchester, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,608 per month in Manchester, TN versus $1,264 in Phuket – a 106% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $2,608 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 106% less than in Manchester, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.