Cost of Living Comparison Between Simpsonville, SC and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Simpsonville, SC and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,206 in Simpsonville, SC versus $1,253 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,223 in Simpsonville, SC versus $2,043 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,240 in Simpsonville, SC versus $2,833 in Phuket.

Living in Simpsonville, SC is roughly 76% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Simpsonville, SC is 61% above, Phuket is 9% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.40 $18.40

$4.56 ฿150

303.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.1 $79.1

$32.62 ฿1,072

142.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 $10.14

$8.90 ฿293

13.93%

Cappuccino

$4.63 $4.63

$2.80 ฿92.2

65.36%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$0.88 ฿28.93

194.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$0.49 ฿16.08

322.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.61 $5.61

$2.39 ฿78.5

134.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.72 $7.72

$3.71 ฿122

108.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$1.79 ฿58.7

-49.72%

White Bread (500g)

$4.10 $4.10

$1.44 ฿47.38

184.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$1.58 ฿52.1

198.73%

Eggs

$4.07 $4.07

$2.13 ฿69.9

91.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.68 $11.68

$19.92 ฿655

-41.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.81 $8.81

$3.43 ฿113

156.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.46 $19.46

$11.33 ฿372

71.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.95 ฿96.9

54.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.72 ฿56.6

-8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.32 ฿76.4

81.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$2.08 ฿68.4

91.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$1.47 ฿48.33

152.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$1.36 ฿44.64

180.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.10 ฿36.12

116.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 $1.95

$0.57 ฿18.89

242.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.46 $8.46

$4.27 ฿140

98.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.81 $14.81

$18.42 ฿605

-19.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.87 ฿61.5

-10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.92 ฿96.0

-38.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 $3.09

$3.03 ฿99.6

1.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.07 ฿35.31

34.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.31 $18.31

$3.93 ฿129

365.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 $0.83

$1.49 ฿49.04

-44.30%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$27.1K ฿891.7K

20.48%

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

$25.3K $25.3K

$27.5K ฿902.3K

-7.67%

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

$143 $143

$103 ฿3,379

39.58%

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

$55.1 $55.1

$10.99 ฿361

401.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.5 $81.5

$17.51 ฿576

365.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$86.5 $86.5

$53.5 ฿1,760

61.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$15.20 $15.20

$7.48 ฿246

103.21%

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

$1,266 $1,266

$557 ฿18.3K

127.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

$11.9K ฿389.6K

-15.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.1 $52.1

$64.1 ฿2,106

-18.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.19 $36.19

$29.07 ฿956

24.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 $86.7

$96.0 ฿3,154

-9.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$90.3 ฿2,970

44.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,299 $1,299

$730 ฿24.0K

77.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$968 $968

$500 ฿16.4K

93.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,781 $1,781

$2,090 ฿68.7K

-14.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,539 $1,539

$1,209 ฿39.7K

27.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,439 $4,439

$503 ฿16.5K

781.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.43

5.57

15.44%

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

Last update for Simpsonville, SC: August 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,299 in Simpsonville, SC and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Simpsonville, SC pays 782% 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: $79.0 in Simpsonville, SC vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $385 vs $273 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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 76% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 782% higher in Simpsonville, SC, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,299 in Simpsonville, SC versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,266 in Simpsonville, SC versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $79.0 in Simpsonville, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,253 in Phuket versus $2,206 in Simpsonville, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Simpsonville, 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 Simpsonville, SC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Simpsonville, SC 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Simpsonville, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.