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: $1,253 in Phuket versus $876 in Saint-Louis.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,385 in Saint-Louis.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,895 in Saint-Louis.

Living in Phuket is roughly 43% more expensive than in Saint-Louis, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Saint-Louis 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$3.48 F CFA 1,962

31.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$55.7 F CFA 31.4K

-41.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$11.74 F CFA 6,615

-24.19%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$3.44 F CFA 1,940

-18.60%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$1.25 F CFA 704

-29.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$0.87 F CFA 493

-43.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$1.83 F CFA 1,033

30.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$4.40 F CFA 2,478

-15.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$2.78 F CFA 1,568

-35.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$0.28 F CFA 158

414.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.74 F CFA 978

-9.20%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.60 F CFA 1,465

-18.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$17.34 F CFA 9,775

14.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$9.58 F CFA 5,397

-64.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$11.41 F CFA 6,432

-0.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$3.26 F CFA 1,835

-9.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$1.91 F CFA 1,078

-9.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$2.99 F CFA 1,684

-22.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.80 F CFA 1,017

15.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$1.38 F CFA 778

6.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$1.05 F CFA 592

29.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$1.19 F CFA 670

-7.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$0.73 F CFA 413

-21.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$2.28 F CFA 1,284

87.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$17.65 F CFA 9,947

4.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.61 F CFA 905

16.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$3.40 F CFA 1,918

-14.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$0.93 F CFA 526

225.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$2.18 F CFA 1,226

-50.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$17.55 F CFA 9,891

-77.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.68 F CFA 945

-11.31%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

$52.0K F CFA 29.3M

-47.78%

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

$50.4K F CFA 28.4M

-45.58%

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

$103 ฿3,380

$209 F CFA 117.6K

-50.75%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$11.91 F CFA 6,712

-7.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$48.07 F CFA 27.1K

-63.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

$8.99 F CFA 5,066

-16.80%

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$316 F CFA 178.2K

76.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

$10.8K F CFA 6.1M

9.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$60.4 F CFA 34.0K

6.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

$48.08 F CFA 27.1K

-39.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

$88.9 F CFA 50.1K

7.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$101 F CFA 56.7K

-10.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$450 F CFA 253.5K

62.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

8.75

-36.34%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Saint-Louis: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $450 in Saint-Louis. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $56.0 in Saint-Louis for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $301 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-Louis: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint-Louis is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,880 in Phuket and $1,313 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: $730 in Phuket versus $450 in Saint-Louis. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $316 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 $56.0 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $876 in Saint-Louis versus $1,253 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 43% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.