Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Salto Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Salto

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $795 in Salto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,240 in Salto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,684 in Salto.

Living in Phuket is roughly 55% more expensive than in Salto, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Salto 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$6.99 R$35.94

-36.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,074

$26.79 R$138

20.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$6.72 R$34.56

32.89%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.4

$1.87 R$9.59

55.08%

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

$0.88 ฿29.30

$1.10 R$5.66

-20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.01

$0.77 R$3.95

-37.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.3

$2.62 R$13.46

-10.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$2.94 R$15.14

26.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.1

$1.05 R$5.42

78.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.81

$1.60 R$8.22

-8.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.7

$1.17 R$6.01

32.48%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.0

$2.65 R$13.62

-20.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿652

$8.75 R$44.97

123.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.59 R$18.47

-4.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿379

$9.49 R$48.82

19.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.3

$2.76 R$14.20

7.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.1

$1.77 R$9.11

-5.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.82 R$9.34

21.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.0

$1.82 R$9.36

18.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.8

$1.34 R$6.87

13.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.55

$1.33 R$6.83

0.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.57

$0.93 R$4.77

21.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.19

$0.46 R$2.35

19.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$2.48 R$12.74

71.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$8.92 R$45.86

114.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

$1.61 R$8.28

10.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.6

$4.48 R$23.03

-37.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

$0.78 R$4.01

185.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿757

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.30 R$6.68

133.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.06

$1.33 R$6.84

-23.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$9.18 R$47.20

-57.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.63

$1.11 R$5.69

34.23%

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

$26.6K ฿884.9K

$22.9K R$117.8K

16.06%

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

$27.0K ฿899.8K

$33.6K R$173.0K

-19.65%

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

$102 ฿3,411

$39.09 R$201

162.14%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$9.53 R$48.98

18.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿579

$18.22 R$93.7

-4.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,734

$25.65 R$132

103.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿369

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$2.84 R$14.63

170.77%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$256 R$1,318

118.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿383.0K

$7,604 R$39.1K

51.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,098

$53.3 R$274

18.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿983

$57.4 R$295

-48.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,263

$92.6 R$476

5.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,946

$83.1 R$427

6.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$236 R$1,211

104.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

$584 R$3,004

260.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$395 R$2,030

210.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.12

-49.91%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Salto: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Salto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $206 per month, with Salto 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 Salto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salto is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,192 in Salto 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.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $256 in Salto. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Salto – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $795 in Salto versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Salto but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Salto the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Salto 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 Salto 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 Salto gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.