🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,391 in Greenwood, SC.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,404 in Greenwood, SC.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,416 in Greenwood, SC.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 47% less than in Greenwood, SC, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Greenwood, SC is 78% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Greenwood, SC
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$13.02$13.02
-63.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$60.7$60.7
-25.26%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$9.91$9.91
-14.93%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$5.87$5.87
-50.09%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$1.94$1.94
-64.43%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$2.01$2.01
-81.59%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$3.94$3.94
-38.83%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$5.14$5.14
-27.63%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Greenwood, SC
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$0.56$0.56
298.21%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$2.18$2.18
-16.06%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$2.21$2.21
-1.81%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$3.43$3.43
-35.57%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$9.04$9.04
118.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$9.02$9.02
-59.76%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$15.34$15.34
-11.80%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$2.22$2.22
47.75%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$1.64$1.64
-1.83%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$2.15$2.15
12.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$2.15$2.15
-3.26%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$2.26$2.26
-32.30%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$2.25$2.25
-34.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$2.27$2.27
-56.39%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$1.99$1.99
-74.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$7.16$7.16
-38.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$8.89$8.89
118.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.75$1.75
1.71%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$1.96$1.96
38.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Greenwood, SC
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$1.99$1.99
-31.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$4.42$4.42
-31.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$1.46$1.46
-32.19%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$42.49$42.49
-66.82%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$0.73$0.73
86.30%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$33.3K$33.3K
-15.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$24.2K$24.2K
36.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Greenwood, SC
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$151$151
-19.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$65.8$65.8
-79.39%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$57.8$57.8
-68.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Greenwood, SC
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$43.31$43.31
39.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$10.09$10.09
-13.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Greenwood, SC
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$671$671
3.35%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$25.9K$25.9K
-39.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Greenwood, SC
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$34.70$34.70
71.56%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$50.5$50.5
-31.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$83.9$83.9
36.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$118$118
-29.49%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Greenwood, SC
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$1,576$1,576
-61.09%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$1,361$1,361
-67.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$2,614$2,614
-19.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$2,264$2,264
-33.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$1,580$1,580
137.27%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
$1,569$1,569
66.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Greenwood, SC
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$5,393$5,393
-90.58%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.47
-17.62%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Greenwood, SC: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,576 in Greenwood, SC. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Greenwood, SC pays 961% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $61.0 in Greenwood, SC. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $283, with Greenwood, SC cheaper for home cooking.
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 Greenwood, SC: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Phuket or Greenwood, SC?
Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Greenwood, SC. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Phuket or Greenwood, SC?
On paper, Greenwood, SC earns 961% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Phuket vs Greenwood, SC?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,576 in Greenwood, SC. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Phuket or Greenwood, SC?
Shoppers in Greenwood, SC pay roughly 3% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Phuket compared to Greenwood, SC?
All in, you'll spend $1,265 per month in Phuket versus $2,391 in Greenwood, SC – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,500/month in Phuket or Greenwood, SC?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,391 in Greenwood, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Greenwood, SC. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Phuket or Greenwood, SC?
Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,265 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.
How safe is Phuket compared to Greenwood, SC?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Greenwood, 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Greenwood, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.