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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,426 in Saint Helier.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $5,205 in Saint Helier.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $6,984 in Saint Helier.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 64% less than in Saint Helier, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Saint Helier is 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$41.09 JEP 30.49

-89.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$121 JEP 89.4

-73.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$10.94 JEP 8.12

-18.37%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.83 JEP 3.58

-39.96%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$3.38 JEP 2.51

-73.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$2.50 JEP 1.85

-80.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$8.33 JEP 6.18

-71.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$6.29 JEP 4.67

-40.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$2.31 JEP 1.72

-19.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$2.78 JEP 2.07

-47.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$3.69 JEP 2.74

-57.99%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$6.47 JEP 4.80

-67.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$7.35 JEP 5.45

166.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$12.07 JEP 8.95

-71.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$18.39 JEP 13.64

-38.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.30 JEP 3.19

-30.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$3.62 JEP 2.69

-53.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$4.29 JEP 3.18

-48.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$4.50 JEP 3.34

-52.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$3.24 JEP 2.40

-53.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$3.17 JEP 2.35

-57.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$1.91 JEP 1.42

-40.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$2.57 JEP 1.91

-78.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$20.52 JEP 15.22

-79.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$10.86 JEP 8.05

75.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$4.64 JEP 3.44

-61.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$7.85 JEP 5.82

-64.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$3.29 JEP 2.44

-32.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

$69.4 JEP 51.5

-67.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$5.41 JEP 4.02

-43.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$2.58 JEP 1.91

-60.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$54.2 JEP 40.23

-92.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$2.10 JEP 1.56

-29.05%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$27.4K JEP 20.3K

-3.05%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$36.7K JEP 27.2K

-26.35%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$331 JEP 246

-69.03%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$46.21 JEP 34.29

-75.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$74.2 JEP 55.1

-76.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$78.0 JEP 57.9

-33.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

$28.28 JEP 20.98

-60.86%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$20.05 JEP 14.87

-61.65%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$2,290 JEP 1,699

-75.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$12.1K JEP 8,942

-4.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$107 JEP 79.6

-41.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$74.7 JEP 55.4

-60.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$124 JEP 91.9

-20.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$208 JEP 154

-57.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$1,873 JEP 1,390

-60.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$1,600 JEP 1,187

-69.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$3,448 JEP 2,559

-38.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$2,782 JEP 2,064

-55.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

$11.7K JEP 8,700

-69.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$10.5K JEP 7,827

-75.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$4,642 JEP 3,445

-89.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

4.08

36.52%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Saint Helier: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $1,873 in Saint Helier. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Helier pays 841% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $121 in Saint Helier for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $427 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 Helier: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 178% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 841% lower in Saint Helier. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $1,873 in Saint Helier. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $2,290 in Saint Helier. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 56% higher in Saint Helier. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $3,426 in Saint Helier, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint Helier. 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 Helier, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Saint Helier 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 178% less than in Saint Helier. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.