Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sakon Nakhon Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sakon Nakhon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $878 in Sakon Nakhon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,396 in Sakon Nakhon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,914 in Sakon Nakhon.

Living in Phuket is roughly 40% more expensive than in Sakon Nakhon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Sakon Nakhon 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$1.55 ฿51.6

184.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$15.31 ฿509

110.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$3.03 ฿101

194.72%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$1.48 ฿49.06

95.95%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$0.74 ฿24.66

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$0.27 ฿9.03

77.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$2.12 ฿70.6

10.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.09 ฿69.5

77.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$2.48 ฿82.5

-24.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$1.33 ฿44.32

10.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.55 ฿51.4

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.12 ฿70.5

-0.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$10.80 ฿359

81.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$2.49 ฿82.9

37.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$10.38 ฿345

9.63%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$3.21 ฿107

-7.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$1.23 ฿40.75

36.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$2.14 ฿71.3

3.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$1.92 ฿64.0

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

$1.47 ฿48.80

3.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$1.45 ฿48.22

-7.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

$0.51 ฿16.96

121.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

$0.49 ฿16.32

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.29 ฿142

-0.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$16.37 ฿544

16.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.69 ฿56.2

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

$2.78 ฿92.3

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

$0.89 ฿29.63

150.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.54 ฿51.0

96.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

$1.02 ฿34.03

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

$4.71 ฿157

-17.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.33 ฿44.23

12.03%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

$26.8K ฿892.2K

-0.93%

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

$30.2K ฿1.0M

-10.50%

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

$102 ฿3,407

$83.0 ฿2,761

23.40%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$9.96 ฿331

13.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$15.87 ฿528

9.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$46.66 ฿1,551

11.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

$14.00 ฿466

-20.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$3.70 ฿123

107.84%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$487 ฿16.2K

15.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

$9,693 ฿322.3K

18.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$19.92 ฿662

216.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

$6.89 ฿229

328.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$122 ฿4,067

-19.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$74.1 ฿2,465

19.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$450 ฿15.0K

64.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$299 ฿9,927

61.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$1,216 ฿40.4K

73.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$646 ฿21.5K

89.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

$1,882 ฿62.6K

92.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

$1,761 ฿58.6K

47.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

$745 ฿24.8K

-33.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Sakon Nakhon: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $450 in Sakon Nakhon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sakon Nakhon pays 51% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $15.00 in Sakon Nakhon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $232 per month, with Sakon Nakhon 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 Sakon Nakhon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sakon Nakhon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 51% lower in Sakon Nakhon. 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 $450 in Sakon Nakhon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $487 in Sakon Nakhon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sakon Nakhon – a meal for two runs $15.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $878 in Sakon Nakhon versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sakon Nakhon but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sakon Nakhon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sakon Nakhon 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 Sakon Nakhon 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 Sakon Nakhon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.