Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Anderson, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,407 in Anderson, SC, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

59

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
117

Cost of Living Index in Anderson, SC
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Anderson, SC Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

Anderson, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,407

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Anderson, SC

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,407 in Anderson, SC.

Phuket $1,208
Anderson, SC $2,407

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $3,692 in Anderson, SC.

Phuket $2,027
Anderson, SC $3,692

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $4,976 in Anderson, SC.

Phuket $2,845
Anderson, SC $4,976

Living in Phuket costs roughly 50% less than in Anderson, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, Anderson, SC is 78% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$14.72 $14.72

-70.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

$102 $102

-68.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$11.89 $11.89

-26.32%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

$6.77 $6.77

-58.20%

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

$3.04 $3.04

-70.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$2.74 $2.74

-82.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

$4.01 $4.01

-36.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$4.99 $4.99

-23.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$1.00 $1.00

73.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

$4.07 $4.07

-63.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

$6.58 $6.58

-77.05%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$5.00 $5.00

-56.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

$11.67 $11.67

68.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

$16.71 $16.71

-80.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

$24.49 $24.49

-54.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$7.36 $7.36

-61.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

$1.65 $1.65

3.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

$5.49 $5.49

-60.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$6.13 $6.13

-66.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$3.05 $3.05

-52.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

$3.85 $3.85

-64.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

$2.64 $2.64

-59.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

$2.67 $2.67

-80.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$7.30 $7.30

-41.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

$13.67 $13.67

35.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

$2.91 $2.91

-38.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

$3.69 $3.69

-22.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

$4.14 $4.14

-45.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

$50.8 $50.8

-56.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

$6.02 $6.02

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

$0.97 $0.97

9.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

$0.84 $0.84

72.62%

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

$28.7K $28.7K

-8.22%

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

$31.6K $31.6K

-14.72%

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

$237 $237

-59.32%

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

$11.04 ฿369

$90.2 $90.2

-87.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

$64.8 $64.8

-73.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

$40.21 $40.21

29.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

$22.84 $22.84

-51.14%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

$11.95 $11.95

-34.64%

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

$556 ฿18.6K

$2,935 $2,935

-81.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

$11.8K $11.8K

-2.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

$36.32 $36.32

76.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

$29.44 $29.44

-2.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

$63.9 $63.9

49.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

$62.8 $62.8

40.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

$1,118 $1,118

-34.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

$1,002 $1,002

-53.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

$1,789 $1,789

17.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

$1,756 $1,756

-31.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

$2,069 $2,069

68.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

$2,098 $2,098

20.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

$3,278 $3,278

-84.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.59

-15.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Last update for Anderson, SC: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

Anderson, SC

$1K 41.6% 117% $539

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

Anderson, SC

$497 20.6% 85% $228

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

Anderson, SC

$392 16.3% 215% $267

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

Anderson, SC

$87 3.6% 30.3% $38

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

Anderson, SC

$288 12% 137% $167

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

Anderson, SC

$64 2.7% 5.4% $3.7

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

Anderson, SC

$78 3.3% 98.4% $39

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $1,118 in Anderson, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anderson, SC pays 555% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $102 in Anderson, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $269 vs $497 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Anderson, SC

🕒 Local time

17:19 5:19 PM

06:19 6:19 AM

11 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

57,496

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

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).

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

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Anderson, SC 15,300 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Anderson, SC

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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 555% lower in Anderson, SC. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $737 in Phuket versus $1,118 in Anderson, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 130% less than in Anderson, SC. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $556 in Phuket versus $2,935 in Anderson, SC. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,407 in Anderson, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Anderson, SC. 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 Anderson, SC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Anderson, SC 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 99% less than in Anderson, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.