Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Knoxville, TN Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Knoxville, TN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,627 in Knoxville, TN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,304 in Phuket versus $3,703 in Knoxville, TN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,339 in Phuket versus $4,779 in Knoxville, TN.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 52% less than in Knoxville, TN, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, Knoxville, TN is 96% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿150

$17.69 $17.69

-73.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.44 ฿1,496

$84.6 $84.6

-45.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿280

$10.02 $10.02

-13.37%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ฿95.0

$5.83 $5.83

-49.40%

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

$0.70 ฿22.52

$2.46 $2.46

-71.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿12.70

$2.35 $2.35

-83.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.6

$6.36 $6.36

-60.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿122

$6.27 $6.27

-39.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.22 ฿71.5

$1.08 $1.08

105.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ฿57.8

$3.77 $3.77

-52.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ฿70.4

$4.01 $4.01

-45.39%

Eggs

$2.31 ฿74.5

$3.77 $3.77

-38.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 ฿623

$10.07 $10.07

92.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿121

$8.51 $8.51

-55.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 ฿426

$15.47 $15.47

-14.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 ฿107

$6.27 $6.27

-46.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿53.1

$1.38 $1.38

19.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.29 ฿73.7

$2.59 $2.59

-11.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.1

$5.40 $5.40

-63.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.24

$2.20 $2.20

-30.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿48.77

$4.55 $4.55

-66.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.12

$2.40 $2.40

-57.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.57

$2.23 $2.23

-77.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿142

$9.09 $9.09

-51.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.41 ฿625

$14.85 $14.85

30.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿58.0

$1.81 $1.81

-0.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿86.4

$2.86 $2.86

-6.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.43 ฿46.11

$1.02 $1.02

40.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿377

$29.43 $29.43

-60.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿97.9

$4.96 $4.96

-38.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.37

$1.51 $1.51

-31.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.68 ฿441

$29.48 $29.48

-53.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.85

$0.85 $0.85

52.94%

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

$27.9K ฿898.9K

$30.3K $30.3K

-7.87%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$26.5K $26.5K

24.48%

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

$123 ฿3,962

$240 $240

-48.86%

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

$13.82 ฿445

$53.5 $53.5

-74.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.86 ฿608

$68.8 $68.8

-72.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.2 ฿1,970

$35.13 $35.13

74.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.81 ฿541

$25.38 $25.38

-33.77%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿286

$14.27 $14.27

-37.84%

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

$696 ฿22.4K

$1,140 $1,140

-38.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿517.4K

$20.6K $20.6K

-22.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,910

$55.7 $55.7

6.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.85 ฿1,123

$59.2 $59.2

-41.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,646

$109 $109

3.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.1 ฿2,740

$121 $121

-29.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ฿19.8K

$1,655 $1,655

-62.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.4K

$1,289 $1,289

-65.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿67.2K

$3,168 $3,168

-34.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿48.2K

$1,805 $1,805

-17.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,734 ฿120.3K

$4,694 $4,694

-20.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,662 ฿85.8K

$2,222 $2,222

19.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$534 ฿17.2K

$3,511 $3,511

-84.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.59

-19.12%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 20, 2026

Last update for Knoxville, TN: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $615 in Phuket and $1,655 in Knoxville, TN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Knoxville, TN pays 558% 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: $46 in Phuket vs $85 in Knoxville, TN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $372 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Knoxville, TN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket wins on cost – living expenses run 107% lower than in Knoxville, TN. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Phuket the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Knoxville, TN earns 558% less. 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: $615 in Phuket versus $1,655 in Knoxville, TN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Knoxville, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $85.0 in Knoxville, TN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,270 in Phuket versus $2,627 in Knoxville, TN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Knoxville, TN. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Phuket delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,270 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Phuket hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Knoxville, TN 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 107% less than in Knoxville, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.