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 $2,620 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $1,270 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,840 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $2,304 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,060 per month in North Charleston, SC vs $3,339 in Phuket, rent included.

North Charleston, SC costs about 106% more than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

North Charleston, SC sits 95% above the global median, while Phuket is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.18 $18.18

$4.66 ฿150

290.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.0 $85.0

$46.44 ฿1,496

82.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 $9.90

$8.68 ฿280

14.06%

Cappuccino

$6.21 $6.21

$2.95 ฿95.0

110.51%

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

$2.52 $2.52

$0.70 ฿22.52

260.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$0.39 ฿12.70

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.86 $5.86

$2.53 ฿81.6

131.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$3.78 ฿122

112.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$2.22 ฿71.5

-57.21%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$1.80 ฿57.8

129.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.19 ฿70.4

39.27%

Eggs

$3.90 $3.90

$2.31 ฿74.5

68.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.70 $13.70

$19.34 ฿623

-29.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.41 $12.41

$3.77 ฿121

229.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.11 $15.11

$13.22 ฿426

14.30%

Apples (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$3.33 ฿107

102.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.65 ฿53.1

-1.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$2.29 ฿73.7

98.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$1.99 ฿64.1

190.45%

Potato (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.53 ฿49.24

84.31%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.51 ฿48.77

91.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.03 ฿33.12

90.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$0.51 ฿16.57

366.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.39 $7.39

$4.41 ฿142

67.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$19.41 ฿625

-21.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.83 $1.83

$1.80 ฿58.0

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.68 ฿86.4

-1.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.43 ฿46.11

141.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.77 $30.77

$11.70 ฿377

162.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.04 ฿97.9

0.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.04 ฿33.37

45.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.63 $19.63

$13.68 ฿441

43.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 $0.84

$1.30 ฿41.85

-35.38%

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

$29.1K $29.1K

$27.9K ฿898.9K

4.15%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$33.0K ฿1.1M

-23.09%

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

$211 $211

$123 ฿3,962

71.99%

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

$64.7 $64.7

$13.82 ฿445

368.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.3 $73.3

$18.86 ฿608

288.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 $42.19

$61.2 ฿1,970

-31.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

Cinema Ticket

$12.08 $12.08

$8.87 ฿286

36.19%

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

$763 $763

$696 ฿22.4K

9.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.5K $14.5K

$16.1K ฿517.4K

-9.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.7 $60.7

$59.3 ฿1,910

2.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.93 $43.93

$34.85 ฿1,123

26.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 $95.1

$113 ฿3,646

-15.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$85.1 ฿2,740

63.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,903 $1,903

$615 ฿19.8K

209.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,290 $1,290

$448 ฿14.4K

187.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,965 $1,965

$2,085 ฿67.2K

-5.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,996 $1,996

$1,496 ฿48.2K

33.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,863 $2,863

$3,734 ฿120.3K

-23.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,815 $2,815

$2,662 ฿85.8K

5.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,349 $4,349

$534 ฿17.2K

715.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

5.33

21.76%

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

Last update for North Charleston, SC: April 19, 2026

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,903 in North Charleston, SC versus $615 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 715% 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 $85 in North Charleston, SC versus $46 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $291 – 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 106% 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 $3,930 per month in North Charleston, SC and $1,904 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 42% 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 $85.0 in North Charleston, SC and $46.00 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 $1,270, than in North Charleston, SC at $2,620. 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 $1,270 versus $2,620 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.