Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saint Andrews Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saint Andrews

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,363 in Saint Andrews.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $3,396 in Saint Andrews.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $4,429 in Saint Andrews.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 47% less than in Saint Andrews, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Saint Andrews is 77% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿153

$17.07 CA$24.07

-73.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,563

$69.4 CA$97.8

-33.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿292

$11.25 CA$15.87

-23.11%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$3.85 CA$5.43

-19.74%

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

$0.68 ฿22.86

$2.06 CA$2.91

-66.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.42

$1.66 CA$2.35

-77.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.5

$5.41 CA$7.63

-55.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$5.75 CA$8.11

-33.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.4

$2.11 CA$2.98

3.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.3

$2.73 CA$3.85

-33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.4

$3.49 CA$4.92

-37.54%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.4

$3.52 CA$4.96

-36.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿672

$11.24 CA$15.85

77.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿123

$11.52 CA$16.25

-68.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿457

$14.42 CA$20.34

-5.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$4.17 CA$5.88

-21.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.8

$1.41 CA$1.99

19.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.7

$3.60 CA$5.08

-35.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.3

$3.68 CA$5.19

-44.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.9

$2.42 CA$3.42

-33.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.4

$2.46 CA$3.47

-39.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.13

$2.62 CA$3.69

-61.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.07

$1.73 CA$2.44

-72.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$14.05 CA$19.82

-68.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿628

$11.94 CA$16.84

56.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.2

$2.80 CA$3.95

-36.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.3

$3.18 CA$4.48

-11.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.84

$2.34 CA$3.31

-39.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿382

$61.8 CA$87.2

-81.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$3.19 CA$4.50

-3.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.15

$1.50 CA$2.11

-30.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿459

$25.93 CA$36.58

-47.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.18

$1.11 CA$1.56

18.02%

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

$27.3K ฿919.6K

$25.3K CA$35.7K

7.65%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.5K CA$28.9K

62.41%

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

$123 ฿4,152

$141 CA$199

-12.52%

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

$13.81 ฿465

$43.76 CA$61.7

-68.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿624

$61.9 CA$87.3

-70.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,035

$41.27 CA$58.2

46.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿566

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿300

$11.27 CA$15.90

-21.12%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$737 CA$1,040

-6.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿524.2K

$11.8K CA$16.6K

32.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,943

$54.3 CA$76.6

6.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,168

$38.97 CA$55.0

-11.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,874

$87.9 CA$124

30.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,862

$109 CA$153

-21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.8K

$1,339 CA$1,888

-53.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

$1,181 CA$1,665

-62.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿69.0K

$2,023 CA$2,854

1.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.8K

$1,787 CA$2,521

-15.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿120.3K

$4,448 CA$6,274

-19.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.6K

$3,453 CA$4,871

-27.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.46

-17.49%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 20, 2026

Last update for Saint Andrews: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $618 in Phuket and $1,339 in Saint Andrews. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $69.0 in Saint Andrews for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $361 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

Phuket vs Saint Andrews: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,891 in Phuket and $3,545 in Saint Andrews to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $618 in Phuket versus $1,339 in Saint Andrews. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $687 in Phuket versus $737 in Saint Andrews. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Saint Andrews. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $2,363 in Saint Andrews, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint Andrews. 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 Saint Andrews, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Saint Andrews 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 87% less than in Saint Andrews. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.