Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and SalfitCost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Salfit
Monthly Cost of Living
ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $744 in Salfit.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,248 in Salfit.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $1,752 in Salfit.
ðLiving in Phuket is roughly 66% more expensive than Salfit, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðBoth cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Salfit44% lower.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Phuket
Salfit
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63āļŋ151
$14.35âŠ42.77
-67.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84āļŋ1,532
$57.0âŠ170
-17.81%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84āļŋ289
$11.09âŠ33.04
-20.29%
Cappuccino
$3.00āļŋ98.0
$3.70âŠ11.01
-18.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74āļŋ24.25
$0.80âŠ2.40
-7.50%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37āļŋ11.95
$0.57âŠ1.71
-35.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44āļŋ79.8
$5.49âŠ16.36
-55.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61āļŋ118
$5.72âŠ17.05
-36.89%
ð Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Salfit
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26āļŋ73.9
$1.92âŠ5.73
17.71%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84āļŋ60.1
$0.58âŠ1.72
217.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24āļŋ73.4
$2.66âŠ7.92
-15.79%
Eggs
$2.32āļŋ75.7
$4.03âŠ12.00
-42.43%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67āļŋ643
$6.07âŠ18.09
224.05%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65āļŋ119
$6.85âŠ20.41
-46.72%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10āļŋ428
$14.21âŠ42.34
-7.81%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39āļŋ111
$1.44âŠ4.29
135.42%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64āļŋ53.7
$0.82âŠ2.45
100.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41āļŋ79.0
$1.10âŠ3.27
119.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03āļŋ66.4
$0.87âŠ2.59
133.33%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56āļŋ50.9
$1.09âŠ3.24
43.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50āļŋ48.94
$0.80âŠ2.39
87.50%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02āļŋ33.50
$1.38âŠ4.11
-26.09%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49āļŋ16.00
$0.58âŠ1.74
-15.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45āļŋ145
$7.16âŠ21.34
-37.85%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88āļŋ617
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78āļŋ58.1
$2.76âŠ8.24
-35.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75āļŋ90.1
$2.54âŠ7.56
8.27%
ð Getting Around
Phuket
Salfit
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40āļŋ45.81
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48āļŋ376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12āļŋ102
$2.79âŠ8.30
11.83%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00āļŋ32.67
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09āļŋ461
$14.20âŠ42.32
-0.77%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35āļŋ44.19
$2.09âŠ6.23
-35.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
$40.1KâŠ119.5K
-32.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
$46.7KâŠ139.2K
-29.54%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Salfit
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125āļŋ4,087
$85.2âŠ254
46.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57āļŋ444
$19.25âŠ57.4
-29.51%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52āļŋ606
$47.44âŠ141
-60.96%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Salfit
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5āļŋ2,010
-
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84āļŋ551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19āļŋ300
$9.14âŠ27.22
0.55%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Phuket
Salfit
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698āļŋ22.8K
$214âŠ638
226.00%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
$3,808âŠ11.3K
309.46%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Salfit
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8āļŋ1,889
$61.6âŠ184
-6.23%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24āļŋ1,152
$37.63âŠ112
-6.35%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113āļŋ3,699
$92.7âŠ276
22.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4āļŋ2,825
$72.4âŠ216
19.31%
ð Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Salfit
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616āļŋ20.1K
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446āļŋ14.6K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
-
-
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Salfit
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524āļŋ17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
5.62
-5.16%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Salfit: April 28, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ðDining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $57.0 in Salfit. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $204, with Salfit cheaper for home cooking.
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 Salfit: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Salfit cheaper than Phuket?
Salfit is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 66% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,116 in Salfit to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $214 in Salfit. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Salfit?
Dining out is cheaper in Salfit â a meal for two runs $57.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Salfit?
At $744 in Salfit versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Salfit but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Salfit the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Salfit more family-friendly?
For families, Salfit 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Salfit?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Salfit are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Salfit gentler on the wallet â expenses run 66% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.