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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,014 in Sal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,540 in Sal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,066 in Sal.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Sal 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.80 CVE 549

-18.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$46.87 CVE 4,437

-3.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$7.28 CVE 690

15.80%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.28 CVE 216

28.51%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$2.43 CVE 230

-71.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$1.12 CVE 106

-66.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.85 CVE 364

-37.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$3.11 CVE 295

19.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.50 CVE 142

48.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$2.22 CVE 210

-17.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.55 CVE 147

40.00%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.87 CVE 272

-23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$11.06 CVE 1,048

78.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$8.21 CVE 777

-55.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$16.60 CVE 1,572

-18.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$2.93 CVE 278

11.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$2.54 CVE 240

-36.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.94 CVE 279

-18.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$4.16 CVE 394

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$1.63 CVE 154

-6.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$1.97 CVE 186

-24.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.84 CVE 174

-46.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.14 CVE 108

-55.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.84 CVE 459

-8.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$6.99 CVE 662

177.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.98 CVE 283

-40.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.97 CVE 187

37.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$1.03 CVE 97.7

33.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$2.13 CVE 201

41.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.83 CVE 268

-65.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$12.83 CVE 1,214

9.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.43 CVE 135

-4.90%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿3,975

$89.8 CVE 8,500

35.55%

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$55.2 CVE 5,225

-66.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$35.47 CVE 3,358

69.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$150 CVE 14.2K

363.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,546 CVE 241.1K

516.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$31.74 CVE 3,006

87.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$146 CVE 13.8K

-42.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$335 CVE 31.7K

82.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$295 CVE 27.9K

48.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$446 CVE 42.2K

369.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$400 CVE 37.9K

277.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$674 CVE 63.8K

456.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$348 CVE 33.0K

650.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$263 CVE 24.9K

93.22%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Sal: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $335 in Sal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 93% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $47.00 in Sal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $304 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.

Phuket pays 93% more on average, 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: $613 in Phuket versus $335 in Sal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $150 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 $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,014 in Sal versus $1,265 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.