Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saint Paul, MN Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saint Paul, MN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,405 in Saint Paul, MN.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $3,753 in Saint Paul, MN.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $5,100 in Saint Paul, MN.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 48% less than in Saint Paul, MN, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Saint Paul, MN is 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$17.76 $17.76

-74.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$66.2 $66.2

-30.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$9.82 $9.82

-9.98%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$5.05 $5.05

-39.41%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$2.78 $2.78

-73.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$2.38 $2.38

-83.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$5.88 $5.88

-58.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$6.86 $6.86

-44.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.04 $1.04

117.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$4.18 $4.18

-56.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.81 $3.81

-40.94%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$3.33 $3.33

-32.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.36 $9.36

108.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$11.62 $11.62

-68.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$14.26 $14.26

-8.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$5.06 $5.06

-36.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.20 $1.20

35.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$5.64 $5.64

-57.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$5.18 $5.18

-60.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$3.94 $3.94

-61.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$3.75 $3.75

-60.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$1.99 $1.99

-50.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.92 $1.92

-72.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$10.66 $10.66

-58.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$14.71 $14.71

24.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.75 $1.75

6.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$4.45 $4.45

-39.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$2.27 $2.27

-37.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

$121 $121

-90.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$5.04 $5.04

-38.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.37 $1.37

-24.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$29.27 $29.27

-51.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$0.82 $0.82

59.76%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$35.1K $35.1K

-20.78%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$25.6K $25.6K

29.85%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$226 $226

-45.75%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$49.33 $49.33

-72.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$71.9 $71.9

-73.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$42.02 $42.02

43.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$9.81 $9.81

73.09%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$14.01 $14.01

-35.26%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$1,458 $1,458

-51.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$30.6K $30.6K

-48.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$38.77 $38.77

51.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$41.32 $41.32

-14.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$84.5 $84.5

36.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$127 $127

-33.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$1,248 $1,248

-49.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$1,017 $1,017

-56.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$2,180 $2,180

-6.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$2,276 $2,276

-34.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$2,957 $2,957

17.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$2,197 $2,197

17.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$4,046 $4,046

-87.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.43

-17.11%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Saint Paul, MN: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $1,248 in Saint Paul, MN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint Paul, MN pays 710% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $66.0 in Saint Paul, MN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $388 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 Paul, MN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 92% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 710% lower in Saint Paul, MN. 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: $626 in Phuket versus $1,248 in Saint Paul, MN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $1,458 in Saint Paul, MN. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Saint Paul, MN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $2,405 in Saint Paul, MN, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint Paul, MN. 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 Paul, MN, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Saint Paul, MN 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 92% less than in Saint Paul, MN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.