Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Belton, SC

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $2,623 in Belton, SC, rent and utilities included – about $15,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
Learn more

Phuket Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Belton, SC
Learn more

Belton, SC Living Index

Jump to prices

Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,294

/mo nomad

Belton, SC

🇺🇸 United States

$2,623

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Belton, 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 Belton, SC actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $2,623 in Belton, SC.

Phuket $1,294
Belton, SC $2,623

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $3,807 in Belton, SC.

Phuket $2,204
Belton, SC $3,807

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $4,992 in Belton, SC.

Phuket $3,115
Belton, SC $4,992

Living in Phuket costs roughly 51% less than in Belton, SC, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 4% below, Belton, SC is 94% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ฿148

$19.89 $19.89

-77.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.31 ฿1,090

$75.6 $75.6

-57.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿294

$11.76 $11.76

-26.02%

Cappuccino

$2.72 ฿91.9

$5.46 $5.46

-50.18%

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

$0.93 ฿31.39

$2.69 $2.69

-65.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 ฿16.85

$2.04 $2.04

-75.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿85.4

$5.86 $5.86

-56.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿122

$7.16 $7.16

-49.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿58.7

$1.00 $1.00

74.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.95

$3.49 $3.49

-58.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.7

$4.34 $4.34

-65.44%

Eggs

$2.17 ฿73.3

$4.26 $4.26

-49.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 ฿644

$12.33 $12.33

54.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿115

$11.45 $11.45

-70.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 ฿368

$16.99 $16.99

-35.84%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 ฿99.2

$5.08 $5.08

-42.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.1

$1.61 $1.61

4.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿74.0

$4.36 $4.36

-49.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.12 ฿71.7

$4.60 $4.60

-53.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.46 ฿49.21

$2.88 $2.88

-49.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿46.15

$2.87 $2.87

-52.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ฿36.30

$2.14 $2.14

-49.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.41

$2.23 $2.23

-75.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.43 ฿149

$9.86 $9.86

-55.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.25 ฿616

$14.73 $14.73

23.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿59.8

$1.84 $1.84

-3.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 ฿97.2

$3.35 $3.35

-14.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿48.84

$1.86 $1.86

-22.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.9 ฿1,852

$56.6 $56.6

-3.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$3.64 $3.64

-58.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ฿26.18

$1.87 $1.87

-58.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.84 ฿130

$30.51 $30.51

-87.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$0.96 $0.96

55.21%

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

$26.9K ฿907.0K

$29.6K $29.6K

-9.30%

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

$26.3K ฿888.9K

$23.0K $23.0K

14.57%

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

$97.8 ฿3,300

$200 $200

-51.06%

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

$11.29 ฿381

$58.0 $58.0

-80.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.19 ฿580

$68.8 $68.8

-75.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.3 ฿2,305

$41.12 $41.12

66.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.92 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.43 ฿251

$15.30 $15.30

-51.44%

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

$530 ฿17.9K

$1,216 $1,216

-56.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ฿633.7K

$23.1K $23.1K

-18.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.7 ฿2,081

$52.4 $52.4

17.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.25 ฿953

$41.71 $41.71

-32.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,239

$89.6 $89.6

7.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.8 ฿2,929

$115 $115

-24.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$721 ฿24.3K

$1,582 $1,582

-54.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ฿17.2K

$1,296 $1,296

-60.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,950 ฿65.8K

$2,585 $2,585

-24.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,397 ฿47.1K

$2,070 $2,070

-32.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,192 ฿141.4K

$2,620 $2,620

60.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,298 ฿111.3K

$2,145 $2,145

53.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$492 ฿16.6K

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: November 2, 2026

Last update for Belton, SC: October 31, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$509 39.3%

Belton, SC

$1.3K 49.4% 155% $787

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$267 20.6%

Belton, SC

$395 15.1% 48.1% $128

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$126 9.8%

Belton, SC

$327 12.5% 159% $200

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$123 9.5%

Belton, SC

$135 5.1% 9.6% $12

Eating Out

Phuket

$120 9.2%

Belton, SC

$322 12.3% 170% $203

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$83 6.4%

Belton, SC

$72 2.7% 13.8% $11

Getting Around

Phuket

$66 5.1%

Belton, SC

$77 2.9% 16.6% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $1,582 in Belton, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $76 in Belton, SC for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $395 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Belton, SC

🕒 Local time

20:07 8:07 PM

08:07 8:07 AM

12 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

23,054

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.65 EUR

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 33.74 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.77 THB (100 THB = 2.65 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.893 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

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

From you

Phuket
Belton, 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 Belton, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is about 51% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $1,940 in Phuket and $3,935 in Belton, SC 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: $721 in Phuket versus $1,582 in Belton, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $76 in Belton, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,294 per month in Phuket versus $2,623 in Belton, SC – Phuket is about 51% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

At $1,294 in Phuket versus $2,623 in Belton, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Belton, 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Belton, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.