Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sal Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sal

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $997 in Sal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,518 in Sal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,038 in Sal.

Living in Phuket is roughly 25% more expensive than in Sal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Sal 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$5.72 CVE 552

-20.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$46.66 CVE 4,505

-1.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$7.38 CVE 712

19.78%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.37 CVE 229

29.11%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$2.43 CVE 234

-69.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.17 CVE 113

-65.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$3.98 CVE 384

-38.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$3.22 CVE 311

17.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.47 CVE 142

53.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$2.18 CVE 210

-16.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.54 CVE 149

46.10%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.73 CVE 264

-17.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$11.08 CVE 1,069

76.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$8.32 CVE 804

-56.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$16.37 CVE 1,581

-20.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.82 CVE 272

14.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$2.55 CVE 246

-36.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.97 CVE 287

-19.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$4.05 CVE 391

-49.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$1.62 CVE 156

-5.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.99 CVE 192

-24.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.86 CVE 180

-47.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.11 CVE 107

-53.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$4.74 CVE 457

-6.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$6.65 CVE 642

175.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$3.07 CVE 297

-39.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.96 CVE 189

36.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.04 CVE 100

35.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$2.12 CVE 205

46.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$2.77 CVE 268

-62.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$13.00 CVE 1,255

8.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.48 CVE 143

-11.49%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,118

$91.3 CVE 8,818

34.06%

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$56.0 CVE 5,408

-66.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$34.94 CVE 3,374

73.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$146 CVE 14.1K

384.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$2,548 CVE 246.1K

520.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$31.14 CVE 3,007

88.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$145 CVE 14.0K

-42.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$333 CVE 32.2K

87.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$294 CVE 28.4K

51.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$440 CVE 42.5K

363.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$388 CVE 37.5K

284.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$672 CVE 64.9K

418.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$343 CVE 33.2K

650.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$257 CVE 24.8K

94.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.17

-13.61%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sal: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $333 in Sal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 95% 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 $47.00 in Sal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 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 Sal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sal is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 95% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $333 in Sal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $146 in Sal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Sal – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $997 in Sal versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sal but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sal 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 Sal 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 Sal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.