Cost of Living Comparison Between Winston-Salem, NC and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Winston-Salem, NC and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,396 in Winston-Salem, NC versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,829 in Winston-Salem, NC versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,263 in Winston-Salem, NC versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Winston-Salem, NC is roughly 95% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Winston-Salem, NC is 75% above, Phuket is 10% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.88 $22.88

$4.41 ฿147

418.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 $78.8

$32.26 ฿1,077

144.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 $9.83

$8.93 ฿298

10.08%

Cappuccino

$5.45 $5.45

$2.90 ฿96.6

87.93%

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

$2.96 $2.96

$0.88 ฿29.38

236.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$0.48 ฿16.06

312.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 $4.89

$2.35 ฿78.5

108.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.85 $5.85

$3.72 ฿124

57.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 $1.42

$1.87 ฿62.3

-24.06%

White Bread (500g)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.47 ฿48.94

213.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$9.73 $9.73

$1.55 ฿51.8

527.74%

Eggs

$5.54 $5.54

$2.10 ฿70.1

163.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.72 $17.72

$19.59 ฿654

-9.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.83 $13.83

$3.42 ฿114

304.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.07 $27.07

$11.38 ฿380

137.87%

Apples (1kg)

$7.89 $7.89

$2.98 ฿99.6

164.77%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 $3.12

$1.68 ฿56.2

85.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.81 $6.81

$2.21 ฿73.7

208.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.64 $7.64

$2.16 ฿72.1

253.70%

Potato (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$1.52 ฿50.9

210.53%

Onion (1kg)

$6.29 $6.29

$1.34 ฿44.67

369.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.13 ฿37.67

151.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.57 $3.57

$0.55 ฿18.24

549.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.80 $7.80

$4.26 ฿142

83.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.91 $14.91

$19.09 ฿637

-21.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.78 ฿59.4

-9.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.78 ฿92.9

58.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.23 ฿74.4

-8.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.73 $29.73

$22.74 ฿759

30.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 $6.79

$3.03 ฿101

124.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 $2.34

$1.02 ฿34.15

129.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.87 $14.87

$3.89 ฿130

282.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$1.49 ฿49.77

-37.58%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$26.6K ฿887.3K

35.60%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$27.0K ฿902.2K

-3.18%

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

$174 $174

$102 ฿3,420

69.33%

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

$51.2 $51.2

$11.33 ฿378

352.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 $62.1

$17.40 ฿581

256.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.29 $48.29

$52.1 ฿1,738

-7.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.20 $16.20

$11.07 ฿370

46.34%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 $11.96

$7.69 ฿257

55.53%

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

$1,324 $1,324

$561 ฿18.7K

136.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K $10.1K

$11.5K ฿384.1K

-12.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.03 $39.03

$63.0 ฿2,104

-38.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.35 $31.35

$29.52 ฿986

6.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 $87.3

$98.0 ฿3,272

-10.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$94.8 $94.8

$88.5 ฿2,954

7.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,435 $1,435

$738 ฿24.6K

94.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$960 $960

$482 ฿16.1K

98.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,631 $2,631

$2,107 ฿70.3K

24.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,886 $1,886

$1,226 ฿40.9K

53.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,340 $6,340

$3,617 ฿120.7K

75.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,293 $3,293

$2,603 ฿86.9K

26.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,499 $3,499

$494 ฿16.5K

608.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.04

5.57

8.44%

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

Last update for Winston-Salem, NC: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,435 in Winston-Salem, NC and $738 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Winston-Salem, NC pays 609% 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 Winston-Salem, NC vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $576 vs $274 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

Winston-Salem, NC vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 95% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 609% higher in Winston-Salem, NC, 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: $1,435 in Winston-Salem, NC versus $738 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,324 in Winston-Salem, NC versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 111% higher in Winston-Salem, NC. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,396 in Winston-Salem, NC, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Winston-Salem, NC. 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 Winston-Salem, NC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Winston-Salem, NC 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 95% less than in Winston-Salem, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.