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: $1,253 in Phuket versus $888 in Sal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,374 in Sal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,860 in Sal.

Living in Phuket is roughly 41% more expensive than in Sal, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, Sal 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$5.95 CVE 564

-23.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$46.67 CVE 4,428

-30.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

$11.41 CVE 1,083

-22.00%

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

$2.43 CVE 231

15.23%

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$2.72 CVE 258

-67.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$1.18 CVE 112

-58.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$4.79 CVE 454

-50.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$3.08 CVE 293

20.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$1.58 CVE 150

13.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$2.33 CVE 221

-38.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

$1.23 CVE 117

28.46%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$2.91 CVE 276

-26.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$9.60 CVE 911

107.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$7.82 CVE 742

-56.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

$16.71 CVE 1,586

-32.20%

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$3.34 CVE 317

-11.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

$2.48 CVE 235

-30.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

$3.45 CVE 327

-32.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$4.03 CVE 383

-48.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$1.72 CVE 163

-14.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$1.92 CVE 182

-29.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

$1.62 CVE 153

-32.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$1.13 CVE 107

-49.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

$4.78 CVE 453

-10.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

$6.87 CVE 652

168.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$4.14 CVE 393

-54.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

$1.96 CVE 186

48.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$1.03 CVE 98.1

115.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

$2.08 CVE 198

45.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

$3.19 CVE 303

-66.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

$13.22 CVE 1,254

-70.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

$1.37 CVE 130

8.76%

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

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

$103 ฿3,380

$63.5 CVE 6,024

61.92%

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

$10.99 ฿361

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

$50.6 CVE 4,804

-65.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

$29.27 CVE 2,777

82.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$557 ฿18.3K

$120 CVE 11.4K

363.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

$30.98 CVE 2,939

106.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

$145 CVE 13.8K

-37.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$267 CVE 25.4K

173.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$172 CVE 16.4K

189.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

$317 CVE 30.1K

559.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

$207 CVE 19.6K

485.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

$682 CVE 64.7K

427.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

$349 CVE 33.1K

620.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$267 CVE 25.3K

88.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.25

6.10%

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sal: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $267 in Sal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 89% 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: $33.00 in Phuket vs $47.00 in Sal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $273 vs $307 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 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 89% 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: $730 in Phuket versus $267 in Sal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $557 in Phuket versus $120 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 $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $888 in Sal versus $1,253 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 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.