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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,264 per month in Phuket vs $707 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,256 per month in Phuket vs $1,099 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,248 per month in Phuket vs $1,491 in Island Garden City of Samal, rent included.

Phuket costs about 79% more than Island Garden City of Samal, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Island Garden City of Samal are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 5% lower, Island Garden City of Samal 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$1.36 ₱83.0

229.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,523

$12.36 ₱752

268.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$4.57 ₱278

91.68%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.1

$2.03 ₱124

46.31%

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

$0.69 ฿22.93

$0.86 ₱52.4

-19.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.05

$0.52 ₱31.76

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.5

$1.38 ₱84.2

83.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$1.80 ₱109

108.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.7

$1.26 ₱76.7

70.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$0.55 ₱33.64

230.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.0

$0.73 ₱44.62

198.63%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.1

$2.08 ₱127

8.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿668

$5.87 ₱357

240.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.25 ₱198

11.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$5.17 ₱315

162.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$2.98 ₱181

8.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$1.18 ₱72.1

38.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.9

$2.37 ₱144

-1.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.2

$1.26 ₱76.9

64.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$2.29 ₱140

-32.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.60

$1.63 ₱99.3

-10.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.89

$0.91 ₱55.2

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.11

$0.46 ₱27.89

4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$2.68 ₱163

62.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$8.02 ₱488

131.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.0

$1.24 ₱75.7

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.7

$1.21 ₱73.4

119.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.33

$0.28 ₱17.16

407.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.68 ₱41.53

366.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.46

$0.09 ₱5.19

1044.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿464

$2.14 ₱130

549.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.89

$1.10 ₱66.7

21.82%

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

$27.8K ฿928.2K

$22.2K ₱1.4M

25.00%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

57.85%

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

$123 ฿4,110

$99.0 ₱6,026

24.32%

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

$13.77 ฿460

$33.65 ₱2,049

-59.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿612

$36.59 ₱2,228

-49.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,027

$33.85 ₱2,061

79.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$4.39 ₱267

290.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$4.46 ₱271

98.88%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$118 ₱7,178

483.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.0K

$4,260 ₱259.4K

270.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,981

$44.98 ₱2,738

31.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,159

$29.81 ₱1,815

16.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,847

$77.4 ₱4,715

48.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,798

$68.6 ₱4,176

22.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$267 ₱16.2K

133.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$180 ₱10.9K

148.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.9K

$598 ₱36.4K

239.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$388 ₱23.6K

285.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.4K

$2,582 ₱157.2K

33.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.5K

$857 ₱52.2K

195.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.56

-44.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Island Garden City of Samal: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Phuket versus $267 in Island Garden City of Samal. 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 $46.00 in Phuket versus $12.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $291 vs $160 – 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

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

Phuket costs about 79% 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 $1,896 per month in Phuket and $1,060 in Island Garden City of Samal. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Phuket and $12.00 in Island Garden City of Samal. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% more in Phuket, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Island Garden City of Samal, where all-in costs run around $707, than in Phuket at $1,264. 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 $707 versus $1,264 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.