Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Island Garden City of Samal and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $716 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $1,232 in Phuket, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,102 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $2,054 in Phuket, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,488 per month in Island Garden City of Samal vs $2,876 in Phuket, rent included.

Island Garden City of Samal is about 42% cheaper than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Island Garden City of Samal and Phuket are more affordable than the global median – Island Garden City of Samal 48% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.22 ₱77.0

$4.41 ฿147

-72.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.00 ₱1,068

$32.26 ฿1,074

-47.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.93 ₱247

$8.93 ฿297

-55.99%

Cappuccino

$2.14 ₱134

$2.90 ฿96.4

-26.21%

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

$1.04 ₱65.6

$0.88 ฿29.30

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ₱42.37

$0.48 ฿16.01

39.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ₱70.1

$2.35 ฿78.3

-52.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 ₱120

$3.72 ฿124

-48.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ₱126

$1.87 ฿62.1

6.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 ₱68.6

$1.47 ฿48.81

-25.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ₱53.2

$1.55 ฿51.7

-45.16%

Eggs

$1.88 ₱118

$2.10 ฿70.0

-10.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.61 ₱415

$19.59 ฿652

-66.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 ₱263

$3.42 ฿114

22.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.39 ₱527

$11.38 ฿379

-26.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.67 ₱168

$2.98 ฿99.3

-10.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.11 ₱69.8

$1.68 ฿56.1

-33.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 ₱137

$2.21 ฿73.5

-1.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.16 ₱72.6

$2.16 ฿72.0

-46.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 ₱131

$1.52 ฿50.8

36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.56 ₱224

$1.34 ฿44.55

165.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.23 ₱77.1

$1.13 ฿37.57

8.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ₱44.27

$0.55 ฿18.19

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.53 ₱159

$4.26 ฿142

-40.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.87 ₱495

$19.09 ฿635

-58.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 ₱78.1

$1.78 ฿59.2

-30.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ₱98.9

$2.78 ฿92.6

-43.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ₱18.53

$2.23 ฿74.2

-87.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.34 ₱649

$22.74 ฿757

-54.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.78 ₱48.84

$3.03 ฿101

-74.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.35

$1.02 ฿34.06

-77.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.96 ₱123

$3.89 ฿130

-49.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ₱73.6

$1.49 ฿49.63

-21.48%

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

$21.4K ₱1.3M

$26.6K ฿884.9K

-19.43%

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

$19.2K ₱1.2M

$27.0K ฿899.8K

-29.14%

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

$101 ₱6,347

$102 ฿3,411

-1.41%

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

$19.15 ₱1,203

$11.33 ฿377

69.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.83 ₱2,000

$17.40 ฿579

82.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.81 ₱2,061

$52.1 ฿1,734

-37.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.23 ₱266

$11.07 ฿369

-61.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.70 ₱295

$7.69 ฿256

-38.88%

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

$109 ₱6,846

$561 ฿18.7K

-80.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,658 ₱481.1K

$11.5K ฿383.0K

-33.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.98 ₱2,009

$63.0 ฿2,098

-49.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$19.21 ₱1,207

$29.52 ฿983

-34.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.0 ₱4,524

$98.0 ฿3,263

-26.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.1 ₱3,840

$88.5 ฿2,946

-30.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$252 ₱15.8K

$738 ฿24.6K

-65.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$155 ₱9,707

$482 ฿16.1K

-67.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$565 ₱35.5K

$2,107 ฿70.1K

-73.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ₱18.8K

$1,226 ฿40.8K

-75.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,863 ₱179.9K

$3,617 ฿120.4K

-20.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,092 ₱68.6K

$2,603 ฿86.7K

-58.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.31

5.57

49.19%

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

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: September 15, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $252 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $738 in Phuket. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Island Garden City of Samal versus $32.00 in Phuket. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $274 – making Island Garden City of Samal the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Island Garden City of Samal vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 72% more than Island Garden City of Samal, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,074 per month in Island Garden City of Samal and $1,847 in Phuket. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Island Garden City of Samal, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $716 in Island Garden City of Samal and $1,232 in Phuket. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 120% less in Island Garden City of Samal. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $716, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Island Garden City of Samal it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Island Garden City of Samal costs $716 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Island Garden City of Samal. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.