Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between North Charleston, SC and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,932 in North Charleston, SC, rent and utilities included – about $20,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

142

Cost of Living Index in North Charleston, SC
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North Charleston, SC Living Index
59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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North Charleston, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,932

/mo nomad

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in North Charleston, SC and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in North Charleston, SC and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,932 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $1,208 in Phuket, rent included.

North Charleston, SC $2,932
Phuket $1,208

A couple spends around $4,243 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $2,027 in Phuket, rent included.

North Charleston, SC $4,243
Phuket $2,027

A family of three spends $5,554 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $2,845 in Phuket, rent included.

North Charleston, SC $5,554
Phuket $2,845

North Charleston, SC costs about 143% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

North Charleston, SC sits 116% above the global median, while Phuket is 11% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.08 $20.08

$4.40 ฿147

356.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$92.3 $92.3

$32.26 ฿1,078

185.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.86 $11.86

$8.76 ฿293

35.39%

Cappuccino

$5.93 $5.93

$2.83 ฿94.5

109.54%

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

$2.92 $2.92

$0.90 ฿30.14

224.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.47 ฿15.56

436.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$2.55 ฿85.2

131.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.92 $7.92

$3.83 ฿128

106.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.73 ฿57.7

-40.46%

White Bread (500g)

$3.75 $3.75

$1.47 ฿49.11

155.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.73 $4.73

$1.51 ฿50.6

213.25%

Eggs

$5.10 $5.10

$2.17 ฿72.7

135.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.38 $7.38

$19.70 ฿658

-62.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.76 $14.76

$3.34 ฿112

341.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.30 $20.30

$11.16 ฿373

81.90%

Apples (1kg)

$8.26 $8.26

$2.85 ฿95.1

189.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.70 ฿56.9

3.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.12 $5.12

$2.19 ฿73.3

133.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.05 ฿68.4

212.20%

Potato (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$1.45 ฿48.57

201.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$1.38 ฿46.16

131.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.07 ฿35.69

135.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$0.51 ฿16.91

301.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.94 $8.94

$4.26 ฿142

109.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.38 $15.38

$18.58 ฿621

-17.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.78 ฿59.7

19.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.85 ฿95.2

3.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.26 ฿75.6

9.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.53 $49.53

$22.10 ฿738

124.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.01 ฿101

1.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.06 ฿35.34

18.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.64 $32.64

$3.86 ฿129

745.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.45 ฿48.45

-31.72%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.3K ฿879.9K

1.70%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.9K ฿900.4K

-4.26%

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

$223 $223

$96.4 ฿3,221

131.54%

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

$75.9 $75.9

$11.04 ฿369

587.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$17.14 ฿573

402.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.45 $17.45

$52.2 ฿1,744

-66.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$13.79 $13.79

$7.81 ฿261

76.57%

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

$920 $920

$556 ฿18.6K

65.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K $18.4K

$11.6K ฿387.0K

58.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 $65.4

$64.2 ฿2,146

1.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.10 $45.10

$28.69 ฿959

57.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$95.4 ฿3,187

17.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$88.0 ฿2,940

48.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,063 $2,063

$737 ฿24.6K

179.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 $1,489

$462 ฿15.5K

222.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,429 $2,429

$2,095 ฿70.0K

15.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,328 $2,328

$1,201 ฿40.1K

93.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,844 $2,844

$3,488 ฿116.6K

-18.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,898 $2,898

$2,523 ฿84.3K

14.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,763 $3,763

$501 ฿16.7K

651.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

5.57

17.95%

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

Last update for North Charleston, SC: October 18, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

North Charleston, SC

$1.5K 50.8%

Phuket

$462 38.3% 69% $1K

Groceries & Markets

North Charleston, SC

$450 15.3%

Phuket

$269 22.2% 40.3% $181

Monthly Utilities & Internet

North Charleston, SC

$385 13.1%

Phuket

$125 10.3% 67.7% $261

Eating Out

North Charleston, SC

$334 11.4%

Phuket

$121 10% 63.8% $213

Clothing & Footwear

North Charleston, SC

$159 5.4%

Phuket

$124 10.3% 21.8% $35

Getting Around

North Charleston, SC

$69 2.3%

Phuket

$39 3.3% 42.6% $29

Sport & Entertainment

North Charleston, SC

$45 1.5%

Phuket

$68 5.6% 50.5% $23

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,063 in North Charleston, SC versus $737 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 651% 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 $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $450 vs $269 – making Phuket the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 North Charleston, SC

🇹🇭 Phuket

🕒 Local time

00:59 12:59 AM

11:59 11:59 AM

11 h ahead of North Charleston, SC

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

97,471

79,308

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Thai Baht THB ฿

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

THB to USD in detail →

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North Charleston, SC Phuket 15,480 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

North Charleston, SC
Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 143% more than Phuket, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from 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 $4,397 per month in North Charleston, SC and $1,813 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 67% 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 $32.00 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 $1,208, than in North Charleston, SC at $2,932. 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 $1,208 versus $2,932 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.