๐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,305 in Saint-Jรฉrรดme.
๐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $3,365 in Saint-Jรฉrรดme.
๐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $4,424 in Saint-Jรฉrรดme.
๐Living in Phuket costs roughly 45% less than in Saint-Jรฉrรดme, driven mainly by Eating Out.
๐The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Saint-Jรฉrรดme is 72% above.
Currency
๐ฝ Eating Out
Phuket
Saint-Jรฉrรดme
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70เธฟ153
$17.08CA$23.75
-72.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37เธฟ1,482
$69.6CA$96.8
-34.84%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43เธฟ275
$11.00CA$15.30
-23.36%
Cappuccino
$2.93เธฟ95.6
$3.74CA$5.20
-21.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69เธฟ22.40
$1.99CA$2.76
-65.33%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37เธฟ11.99
$1.64CA$2.28
-77.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41เธฟ78.6
$5.58CA$7.77
-56.81%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72เธฟ122
$6.06CA$8.43
-38.61%
๐ Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Saint-Jรฉrรดme
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23เธฟ72.9
$2.13CA$2.96
4.69%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83เธฟ59.8
$2.70CA$3.76
-32.22%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17เธฟ70.8
$3.63CA$5.06
-40.22%
Eggs
$2.21เธฟ72.3
$3.53CA$4.91
-37.39%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74เธฟ645
$11.27CA$15.68
75.16%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63เธฟ119
$11.94CA$16.60
-69.60%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53เธฟ442
$14.51CA$20.17
-6.75%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28เธฟ107
$4.01CA$5.58
-18.20%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61เธฟ52.6
$1.43CA$1.98
12.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41เธฟ78.6
$3.70CA$5.15
-34.86%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08เธฟ68.1
$3.70CA$5.15
-43.78%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53เธฟ49.93
$2.48CA$3.45
-38.31%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48เธฟ48.36
$2.48CA$3.45
-40.32%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99เธฟ32.29
$2.53CA$3.52
-60.87%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51เธฟ16.67
$1.72CA$2.39
-70.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41เธฟ144
$14.06CA$19.56
-68.63%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38เธฟ633
$14.43CA$20.07
34.30%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78เธฟ58.1
$2.86CA$3.97
-37.76%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71เธฟ88.6
$3.00CA$4.17
-9.67%
๐ Getting Around
Phuket
Saint-Jรฉrรดme
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37เธฟ44.79
$2.40CA$3.34
-42.92%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39เธฟ372
$63.9CA$88.9
-82.18%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02เธฟ98.6
$3.11CA$4.33
-2.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99เธฟ32.48
$1.49CA$2.08
-33.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10เธฟ461
$25.53CA$35.51
-44.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36เธฟ44.51
$1.09CA$1.51
24.77%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2Kเธฟ921.1K
$25.4KCA$35.3K
11.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kเธฟ1.1M
$20.3KCA$28.2K
62.13%
๐งพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Saint-Jรฉrรดme
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122เธฟ3,975
$143CA$199
-14.93%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57เธฟ443
$44.41CA$61.8
-69.44%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31เธฟ598
$63.2CA$87.9
-71.02%
๐ Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Saint-Jรฉrรดme
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2เธฟ1,967
$42.36CA$58.9
42.16%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14เธฟ560
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.69เธฟ284
$11.60CA$16.13
-25.09%
๐งธ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Saint-Jรฉrรดme
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693เธฟ22.6K
$730CA$1,016
-5.04%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7Kเธฟ512.3K
$11.6KCA$16.1K
35.39%
๐๐ Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Saint-Jรฉrรดme
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5เธฟ1,944
$53.7CA$74.6
10.92%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77เธฟ1,136
$40.33CA$56.1
-13.79%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115เธฟ3,743
$87.7CA$122
30.75%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3เธฟ2,720
$108CA$151
-23.08%
๐ Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Saint-Jรฉrรดme
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613เธฟ20.0K
$1,314CA$1,828
-53.35%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437เธฟ14.3K
$1,168CA$1,624
-62.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094เธฟ68.4K
$2,003CA$2,785
4.57%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509เธฟ49.3K
$1,818CA$2,528
-16.98%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749เธฟ122.5K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616เธฟ85.4K
-
-
๐ต Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Saint-Jรฉrรดme
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508เธฟ16.6K
$2,775CA$3,859
-81.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.46
-17.49%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Saint-Jรฉrรดme: June 2, 2026
Cost Breakdown
๐ A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $1,314 in Saint-Jรฉrรดme. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
๐ฐSaint-Jรฉrรดme pays 446% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
๐Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $70.0 in Saint-Jรฉrรดme for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $368 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-Jรฉrรดme: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Saint-Jรฉrรดme cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Saint-Jรฉrรดme?
On paper, Saint-Jรฉrรดme earns 446% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Saint-Jรฉrรดme?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $1,314 in Saint-Jรฉrรดme. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $730 in Saint-Jรฉrรดme. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Saint-Jรฉrรดme?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Saint-Jรฉrรดme. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Saint-Jรฉrรดme?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $2,305 in Saint-Jรฉrรดme, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint-Jรฉrรดme. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Saint-Jรฉrรดme more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Saint-Jรฉrรดme, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Saint-Jรฉrรดme?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Saint-Jรฉrรดme are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet โ expenses run 82% less than in Saint-Jรฉrรดme. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.