Cost of Living Comparison Between North Charleston, SC and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between North Charleston, SC and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,801 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $1,253 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,194 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $2,043 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,586 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $2,833 in Phuket, rent included.

North Charleston, SC costs about 124% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

North Charleston, SC sits 104% above the global median, while Phuket is 9% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.70 $19.70

$4.56 ฿150

332.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.2 $92.2

$32.62 ฿1,072

182.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.12 $12.12

$8.90 ฿293

36.18%

Cappuccino

$6.06 $6.06

$2.80 ฿92.2

116.43%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$0.88 ฿28.93

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.49 ฿16.08

395.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$2.39 ฿78.5

150.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.06 $8.06

$3.71 ฿122

117.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.79 ฿58.7

-41.90%

White Bread (500g)

$3.63 $3.63

$1.44 ฿47.38

152.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$1.58 ฿52.1

197.47%

Eggs

$4.90 $4.90

$2.13 ฿69.9

130.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.14 $7.14

$19.92 ฿655

-64.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.57 $14.57

$3.43 ฿113

324.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.17 $20.17

$11.33 ฿372

78.02%

Apples (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$2.95 ฿96.9

180.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.72 ฿56.6

3.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.32 ฿76.4

115.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.22 $6.22

$2.08 ฿68.4

199.04%

Potato (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$1.47 ฿48.33

198.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$1.36 ฿44.64

132.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.10 ฿36.12

132.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.57 ฿18.89

247.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.22 $9.22

$4.27 ฿140

115.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.76 $15.76

$18.42 ฿605

-14.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$1.87 ฿61.5

17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 $3.07

$2.92 ฿96.0

5.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.22 ฿72.9

11.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$50.3 $50.3

$22.90 ฿753

119.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.03 ฿99.6

0.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.07 ฿35.31

14.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.41 $32.41

$3.93 ฿129

724.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.49 ฿49.04

-42.28%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

29.09%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-6.27%

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

$221 $221

$103 ฿3,379

115.06%

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

$73.6 $73.6

$10.99 ฿361

569.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$17.51 ฿576

391.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.25 $17.25

$53.5 ฿1,760

-67.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$14.28 $14.28

$7.48 ฿246

90.91%

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

$938 $938

$557 ฿18.3K

68.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K $18.4K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

55.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.2 $66.2

$64.1 ฿2,106

3.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.78 $44.78

$29.07 ฿956

54.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$96.0 ฿3,154

16.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$90.3 ฿2,970

45.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 $2,044

$730 ฿24.0K

179.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,432 $1,432

$500 ฿16.4K

186.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,409 $2,409

$2,090 ฿68.7K

15.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,397 $2,397

$1,209 ฿39.7K

98.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,893 $2,893

$3,596 ฿118.2K

-19.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,872 $2,872

$2,512 ฿82.6K

14.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,335 $4,335

$503 ฿16.5K

761.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.03

5.57

8.26%

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

Last update for North Charleston, SC: August 29, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,044 in North Charleston, SC versus $730 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 761% higher in North Charleston, SC, 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 $92.0 in North Charleston, SC versus $33.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $445 vs $273 – 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

North Charleston, SC vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

North Charleston, SC costs about 124% 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 $4,201 per month in North Charleston, SC and $1,880 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.

Groceries cost about 63% more in North Charleston, SC, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $92.0 in North Charleston, SC and $33.00 in Phuket. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Phuket, where all-in costs run around $1,253, than in North Charleston, SC at $2,801. In Phuket it covers expenses comfortably, while in North Charleston, SC it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Phuket costs $1,253 versus $2,801 in North Charleston, SC. 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, North Charleston, SC makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.