Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saint-Louis Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saint-Louis

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $783 in Saint-Louis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,274 in Saint-Louis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,765 in Saint-Louis.

Living in Phuket is roughly 60% more expensive than in Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Saint-Louis 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.48 F CFA 1,998

30.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$53.0 F CFA 30.4K

-12.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$10.20 F CFA 5,854

-13.33%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$4.59 F CFA 2,635

-33.33%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.92 F CFA 530

-20.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.06 F CFA 606

-62.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.81 F CFA 1,038

34.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.47 F CFA 2,567

-15.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.64 F CFA 1,515

-14.39%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$0.27 F CFA 156

570.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.60 F CFA 918

40.62%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.71 F CFA 1,555

-16.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$12.92 F CFA 7,416

51.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$9.08 F CFA 5,214

-59.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$10.94 F CFA 6,279

19.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.74 F CFA 1,573

17.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.90 F CFA 1,091

-14.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.60 F CFA 1,493

-8.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$2.08 F CFA 1,194

-2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.49 F CFA 858

2.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.35 F CFA 774

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.02 F CFA 588

-3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.68 F CFA 390

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.55 F CFA 888

186.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$17.11 F CFA 9,826

7.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.19 F CFA 685

56.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.33 F CFA 1,338

15.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.92 F CFA 528

238.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$2.85 F CFA 1,635

-63.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$17.70 F CFA 10.2K

-20.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.80 F CFA 1,031

-27.22%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$36.0K F CFA 20.7M

-22.74%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$50.3K F CFA 28.9M

-33.93%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$140 F CFA 80.1K

-12.27%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$9.72 F CFA 5,582

39.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$50.1 F CFA 28.7K

-62.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$9.06 F CFA 5,200

0.11%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$267 F CFA 153.1K

164.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$7,248 F CFA 4.2M

118.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$67.6 F CFA 38.8K

-13.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$43.90 F CFA 25.2K

-19.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$103 F CFA 59.1K

12.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$128 F CFA 73.7K

-34.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$443 F CFA 254.2K

41.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.25

-35.39%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $443 in Saint-Louis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $53.0 in Saint-Louis. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $273, with Saint-Louis cheaper for home cooking.

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-Louis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint-Louis is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,174 in Saint-Louis 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: $626 in Phuket versus $443 in Saint-Louis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $267 in Saint-Louis. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint-Louis – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $783 in Saint-Louis versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Saint-Louis but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Saint-Louis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Saint-Louis is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Saint-Louis 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 Saint-Louis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.