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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,308 in Union, SC versus $1,261 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,469 in Union, SC versus $2,276 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,630 in Union, SC versus $3,291 in Phuket.

Living in Union, SC is roughly 83% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Union, SC is 73% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.11 $9.11

$4.53 ฿153

101.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$46.36 ฿1,565

116.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.62 $8.62

$8.65 ฿292

-0.35%

Cappuccino

$5.88 $5.88

$3.09 ฿104

90.29%

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

$2.25 $2.25

$0.68 ฿22.89

230.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.37 ฿12.44

416.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.42 ฿81.6

16.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$3.81 ฿129

-10.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.18 ฿73.5

-53.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.82 ฿61.3

34.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.18 ฿73.5

9.63%

Eggs

$3.06 $3.06

$2.24 ฿75.4

36.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 $8.60

$19.93 ฿673

-56.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.75 $8.75

$3.64 ฿123

140.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.17 $10.17

$13.56 ฿458

-25.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 $2.85

$3.29 ฿111

-13.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.69 ฿56.9

-20.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.33 ฿78.8

42.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.03 ฿68.4

112.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.60 ฿54.0

65.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.49 ฿50.5

41.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.68 $1.68

$1.01 ฿34.17

66.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 $1.23

$0.48 ฿16.09

156.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.32 $7.32

$4.45 ฿150

64.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.86 $8.86

$18.63 ฿629

-52.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.79 ฿60.3

1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 $4.81

$2.80 ฿94.4

71.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.42 ฿47.90

44.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.39 $4.39

$3.09 ฿104

42.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.04 ฿35.19

117.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.83 $42.83

$13.63 ฿460

214.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$1.31 ฿44.23

-37.40%

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

$33.7K $33.7K

$27.3K ฿920.7K

23.56%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

-25.61%

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

$171 $171

$123 ฿4,157

39.01%

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

$65.8 $65.8

$13.81 ฿466

376.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.85 $45.85

$18.52 ฿625

147.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.22 $42.22

$60.4 ฿2,037

-30.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿567

Cinema Ticket

$13.10 $13.10

$8.89 ฿300

47.36%

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

$2,591 $2,591

$687 ฿23.2K

277.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.3K $26.3K

$15.6K ฿524.8K

68.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.76 $48.76

$57.6 ฿1,945

-15.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.95 $20.95

$34.66 ฿1,170

-39.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 $83.3

$115 ฿3,879

-27.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.9 $99.9

$84.9 ฿2,865

17.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,579 $1,579

$618 ฿20.8K

155.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 $1,372

$443 ฿15.0K

209.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,657 $2,657

$2,047 ฿69.1K

29.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,246 $2,246

$1,506 ฿50.8K

49.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,647 $2,647

$3,568 ฿120.4K

-25.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,340 $2,340

$2,511 ฿84.7K

-6.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,461 $2,461

$503 ฿17.0K

389.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-24.95%

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

Last update for Union, SC: July 21, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,579 in Union, SC and $618 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Union, SC pays 390% 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: $101 in Union, SC vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $284 vs $292, with Union, 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

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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 390% higher in Union, 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: $1,579 in Union, SC versus $618 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,591 in Union, SC versus $687 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 $46.00 versus $101 in Union, SC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,308 in Union, SC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Union, 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 Union, SC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Union, 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 83% less than in Union, SC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.