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: $1,247 in Phuket versus $1,360 in Saint Ann's Bay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $2,028 in Saint Ann's Bay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Phuket versus $2,695 in Saint Ann's Bay.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 8% less than in Saint Ann's Bay, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 7% below, Saint Ann's Bay is 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 ฿147

$7.52 JMD 1,190

-38.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 ฿1,500

$49.83 JMD 7,887

-6.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿279

$8.91 JMD 1,410

-2.36%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿93.7

$4.41 JMD 698

-33.79%

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

$0.68 ฿21.90

$1.36 JMD 215

-50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.69

$0.72 JMD 114

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿80.3

$2.46 JMD 389

2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿122

$3.21 JMD 509

18.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ฿69.2

$4.43 JMD 701

-51.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ฿60.3

$2.65 JMD 420

-29.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ฿69.1

$1.60 JMD 253

35.00%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿71.1

$3.44 JMD 545

-35.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿627

$11.25 JMD 1,780

73.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ฿122

$6.53 JMD 1,033

-41.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ฿430

$7.55 JMD 1,195

77.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿104

$6.05 JMD 957

-46.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.6

$3.10 JMD 491

-48.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿73.9

$4.16 JMD 658

-44.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ฿65.9

$3.02 JMD 478

-31.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.4

$2.10 JMD 332

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.23

$2.00 JMD 316

-28.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿32.99

$2.97 JMD 469

-65.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.38

$1.16 JMD 183

-58.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿144

$8.80 JMD 1,393

-48.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ฿614

$11.35 JMD 1,796

68.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$2.81 JMD 445

-35.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿86.2

$3.15 JMD 499

-14.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ฿44.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿99.5

$0.97 JMD 153

220.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.16

$3.27 JMD 517

-69.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.74 ฿440

$6.31 JMD 999

117.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.58

$1.24 JMD 195

4.84%

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

$27.4K ฿876.5K

$23.6K JMD 3.7M

15.67%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$17.2K JMD 2.7M

92.13%

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

$125 ฿4,001

$166 JMD 26.3K

-24.87%

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

$13.74 ฿440

$22.26 JMD 3,523

-38.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 ฿596

$51.9 JMD 8,211

-64.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ฿1,940

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿549

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ฿289

$12.92 JMD 2,045

-30.26%

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

$698 ฿22.4K

$230 JMD 36.4K

203.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿516.2K

$2,517 JMD 398.4K

540.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ฿1,897

$26.36 JMD 4,172

124.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 ฿1,117

$26.02 JMD 4,118

33.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,659

$68.9 JMD 10.9K

65.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,749

$76.6 JMD 12.1K

12.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿19.8K

$495 JMD 78.4K

24.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.0K

$475 JMD 75.2K

-8.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ฿66.5K

$1,000 JMD 158.2K

107.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿48.4K

$829 JMD 131.3K

81.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 ฿120.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 ฿86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿16.9K

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: April 13, 2026

Last update for Saint Ann's Bay: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $495 in Saint Ann's Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47 in Phuket vs $50 in Saint Ann's Bay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $340 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 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,870 in Phuket and $2,040 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 $495 in Saint Ann's Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $230 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 $1,247 in Phuket versus $1,360 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 9% less than in Saint Ann's Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.