Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Pleasant, SC and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Mount Pleasant, SC and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,685 in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,946 in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,207 in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Mount Pleasant, SC is roughly 113% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mount Pleasant, SC is 101% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.79 $28.79

$4.53 ฿153

535.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 $79.5

$46.36 ฿1,565

71.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.99 $9.99

$8.65 ฿292

15.49%

Cappuccino

$4.87 $4.87

$3.09 ฿104

57.61%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$0.68 ฿22.89

266.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.37 ฿12.44

408.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 $5.94

$2.42 ฿81.6

145.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.82 $7.82

$3.81 ฿129

105.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$2.18 ฿73.5

-54.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.82 ฿61.3

108.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.18 ฿73.5

46.79%

Eggs

$4.49 $4.49

$2.24 ฿75.4

100.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.21 $14.21

$19.93 ฿673

-28.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.92 $14.92

$3.64 ฿123

309.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.95 $16.95

$13.56 ฿458

25.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.56 $5.56

$3.29 ฿111

69.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.69 ฿56.9

-1.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.33 ฿78.8

174.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.03 ฿68.4

93.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$1.60 ฿54.0

136.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.49 ฿50.5

84.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.01 ฿34.17

75.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$0.48 ฿16.09

287.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.60 $7.60

$4.45 ฿150

70.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.66 $15.66

$18.63 ฿629

-15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.79 ฿60.3

3.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$2.80 ฿94.4

16.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.42 ฿47.90

37.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.09 ฿104

-4.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.04 ฿35.19

51.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.25 $20.25

$13.63 ฿460

48.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.31 ฿44.23

-38.93%

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

$32.6K $32.6K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

19.43%

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

$25.2K $25.2K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-24.29%

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

$140 $140

$123 ฿4,157

13.78%

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

$65.6 $65.6

$13.81 ฿466

375.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.2 $72.2

$18.52 ฿625

289.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.24 $42.24

$60.4 ฿2,037

-30.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 $13.19

$8.89 ฿300

48.37%

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

$1,333 $1,333

$687 ฿23.2K

94.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

58.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.65 $49.65

$57.6 ฿1,945

-13.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.96 $35.96

$34.66 ฿1,170

3.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.6 $95.6

$115 ฿3,879

-16.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$153 $153

$84.9 ฿2,865

80.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 $1,570

$618 ฿20.8K

154.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,367 $1,367

$443 ฿15.0K

208.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,671 $2,671

$2,047 ฿69.1K

30.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,197 $2,197

$1,506 ฿50.8K

45.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,902 $2,902

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-18.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,490 $2,490

$2,511 ฿84.7K

-0.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿17.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

5.33

22.14%

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

Last update for Mount Pleasant, SC: July 20, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,570 in Mount Pleasant, SC and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $79.0 in Mount Pleasant, SC vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $423 vs $292 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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

Mount Pleasant, SC vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mount Pleasant, SC and Phuket differ by about 113% in total monthly costs ($2,685 vs $1,261 including rent). Phuket is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $4,028 in Mount Pleasant, SC and $1,891 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: $1,570 in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Mount Pleasant, SC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,685 per month in Mount Pleasant, SC versus $1,261 in Phuket – a 113% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,685 in Mount Pleasant, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Mount Pleasant, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Mount Pleasant, SC 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 113% less than in Mount Pleasant, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.