Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saint Ann's Bay Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saint Ann's Bay

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,362 in Saint Ann's Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $2,027 in Saint Ann's Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,692 in Saint Ann's Bay.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 7% less than in Saint Ann's Bay, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Saint Ann's Bay is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$7.38 JMD 1,161

-38.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,536

$50.3 JMD 7,909

-7.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿279

$8.91 JMD 1,401

-4.94%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿99.7

$4.38 JMD 690

-30.82%

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

$0.69 ฿22.71

$1.36 JMD 214

-49.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.05

$0.71 JMD 111

-47.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿82.0

$2.46 JMD 386

1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿121

$3.10 JMD 488

18.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.9

$4.34 JMD 682

-49.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.7

$2.75 JMD 433

-30.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.4

$1.55 JMD 245

41.94%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿73.2

$3.48 JMD 548

-36.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿659

$11.20 JMD 1,762

78.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿121

$6.22 JMD 978

-41.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿437

$7.47 JMD 1,175

77.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿107

$6.15 JMD 968

-47.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$3.04 JMD 479

-44.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.9

$4.24 JMD 667

-43.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.5

$3.03 JMD 477

-31.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.5

$2.09 JMD 328

-23.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.87

$1.98 JMD 312

-25.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.93

$2.99 JMD 470

-65.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.03

$1.15 JMD 182

-54.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$8.83 JMD 1,388

-51.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿619

$11.49 JMD 1,807

63.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.9

$2.75 JMD 432

-36.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$3.17 JMD 498

-12.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿104

$0.97 JMD 153

223.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.13

$3.12 JMD 491

-66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿454

$6.38 JMD 1,004

115.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.30

$1.28 JMD 201

4.69%

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

$27.7K ฿912.0K

$23.9K JMD 3.8M

15.83%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$17.4K JMD 2.7M

94.28%

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

$124 ฿4,072

$165 JMD 25.9K

-25.01%

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

$13.52 ฿446

$22.42 JMD 3,527

-39.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿616

$50.1 JMD 7,878

-62.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,037

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿301

$13.37 JMD 2,103

-31.64%

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

$703 ฿23.2K

$228 JMD 35.8K

208.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿523.0K

$2,501 JMD 393.4K

534.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,959

$25.88 JMD 4,071

129.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,156

$25.88 JMD 4,071

35.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,798

$69.8 JMD 11.0K

65.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,769

$75.8 JMD 11.9K

10.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.4K

$499 JMD 78.5K

23.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.3K

$474 JMD 74.6K

-8.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.9K

$991 JMD 155.8K

108.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.8K

$829 JMD 130.5K

82.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿120.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

33.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Saint Ann's Bay: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $499 in Saint Ann's Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $50.0 in Saint Ann's Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $338 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 Ann's Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $2,043 in Saint Ann's Bay 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: $619 in Phuket versus $499 in Saint Ann's Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $228 in Saint Ann's Bay. 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 $47.00 versus $50.0 in Saint Ann's Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,362 in Saint Ann's Bay, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint Ann's Bay. 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 Ann's Bay, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Saint Ann's Bay 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 8% less than in Saint Ann's Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.