Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pierre, SD and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,208 a month against $2,433 in Pierre, SD, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Pierre, SD
🇺🇸 United States
$2,433
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pierre, SD and in Phuket

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,433 in Pierre, SD versus $1,208 in Phuket.

  • Pierre, SD $2,433
  • Phuket $1,208

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,803 in Pierre, SD versus $2,027 in Phuket.

  • Pierre, SD $3,803
  • Phuket $2,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,172 in Pierre, SD versus $2,845 in Phuket.

  • Pierre, SD $5,172
  • Phuket $2,845

Living in Pierre, SD is roughly 101% more expensive than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Pierre, SD is 80% above, Phuket is 11% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Pierre, SD
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$19.68 $19.68
$4.40 ฿147
347.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.8 $83.8
$32.26 ฿1,078
159.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.77 $11.77
$8.76 ฿293
34.36%
Cappuccino
$5.20 $5.20
$2.83 ฿94.5
83.75%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62 $2.62
$0.90 ฿30.14
191.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97 $1.97
$0.47 ฿15.56
319.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.48 $6.48
$2.55 ฿85.2
154.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.66 $7.66
$3.83 ฿128
100.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Pierre, SD
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.98 $0.98
$1.73 ฿57.7
-43.35%
White Bread (500g)
$3.04 $3.04
$1.47 ฿49.11
106.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.71 $4.71
$1.51 ฿50.6
211.92%
Eggs
$4.64 $4.64
$2.17 ฿72.7
113.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.51 $13.51
$19.70 ฿658
-31.42%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.71 $12.71
$3.34 ฿112
280.54%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.62 $15.62
$11.16 ฿373
39.96%
Apples (1kg)
$5.30 $5.30
$2.85 ฿95.1
85.96%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 $1.51
$1.70 ฿56.9
-11.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.79 $3.79
$2.19 ฿73.3
73.06%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.52 $4.52
$2.05 ฿68.4
120.49%
Potato (1kg)
$2.68 $2.68
$1.45 ฿48.57
84.83%
Onion (1kg)
$2.71 $2.71
$1.38 ฿46.16
96.38%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.18 $2.18
$1.07 ฿35.69
103.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$0.51 ฿16.91
323.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.28 $10.28
$4.26 ฿142
141.31%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.39 $13.39
$18.58 ฿621
-27.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.16 $2.16
$1.78 ฿59.7
21.35%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.66 $3.66
$2.85 ฿95.2
28.42%
🚌 Getting Around
Pierre, SD
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.08 $2.08
$2.26 ฿75.6
-7.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$22.10 ฿738
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.88 $2.88
$3.01 ฿101
-4.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.66 $1.66
$1.06 ฿35.34
56.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.06 $32.06
$3.86 ฿129
730.57%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.06 $1.06
$1.45 ฿48.45
-26.90%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.6K $31.6K
$26.3K ฿879.9K
20.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.4K $24.4K
$26.9K ฿900.4K
-9.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pierre, SD
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$189 $189
$96.4 ฿3,221
96.43%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$60.4 $60.4
$11.04 ฿369
447.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.4 $62.4
$17.14 ฿573
264.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Pierre, SD
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.51 $38.51
$52.2 ฿1,744
-26.20%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.16 ฿373
-
Cinema Ticket
$14.84 $14.84
$7.81 ฿261
90.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Pierre, SD
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,203 $1,203
$556 ฿18.6K
116.42%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.3K $23.3K
$11.6K ฿387.0K
101.12%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Pierre, SD
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.8 $52.8
$64.2 ฿2,146
-17.79%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.99 $39.99
$28.69 ฿959
39.39%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.7 $96.7
$95.4 ฿3,187
1.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$112 $112
$88.0 ฿2,940
27.07%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Pierre, SD
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,478 $1,478
$737 ฿24.6K
100.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,182 $1,182
$462 ฿15.5K
155.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,348 $2,348
$2,095 ฿70.0K
12.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,347 $2,347
$1,201 ฿40.1K
95.42%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,923 $2,923
$3,488 ฿116.6K
-16.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,582 $2,582
$2,523 ฿84.3K
2.35%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Pierre, SD
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$501 ฿16.7K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.57
5.57
17.95%

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

Last update for Pierre, SD: October 17, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Pierre, SD
$1.2K
Phuket
$462 60.9% $720
Groceries & Markets
Pierre, SD
$395
Phuket
$269 32% $126
Eating Out
Pierre, SD
$321
Phuket
$121 62.2% $200
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Pierre, SD
$312
Phuket
$125 60.1% $188
Clothing & Footwear
Pierre, SD
$136
Phuket
$124 8.3% $11
Sport & Entertainment
Pierre, SD
$68
Phuket
$68 0.6% $0.4
Getting Around
Pierre, SD
$20 *
Phuket
$39 102% $20

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,478 in Pierre, SD and $737 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $84.0 in Pierre, SD vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 vs $269 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Pierre, SD
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
11:04 11:04 AM
23:04 11:04 PM
12 h ahead of Pierre, SD
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
14,095
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Pierre, SD Phuket 13,910 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Pierre, SD
  • Phuket

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
Pierre, SD vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Pierre, SD?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $3,650 in Pierre, SD and $1,813 in Phuket 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.
What is the rent difference between Pierre, SD and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,478 in Pierre, SD versus $737 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $1,203 in Pierre, SD versus $556 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Pierre, SD or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $84.0 in Pierre, SD. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Pierre, SD or in Phuket?
At $1,208 in Phuket versus $2,433 in Pierre, SD, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Pierre, SD. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Pierre, SD or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Pierre, SD, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Pierre, SD or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Pierre, SD and Phuket 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 easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Pierre, SD. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Pierre, SD vs other spots: cost of living compared

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