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: $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,262 in Salto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $1,891 in Salto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $2,521 in Salto.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 3% less than in Salto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Salto 5% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$19.80 UYU 798

-77.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$39.49 UYU 1,592

18.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$9.18 UYU 370

-7.52%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$3.13 UYU 126

-1.60%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.33 UYU 93.8

-70.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.51 UYU 60.9

-76.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$4.35 UYU 176

-44.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$3.15 UYU 127

15.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$0.96 UYU 38.79

128.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$1.24 UYU 49.86

45.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.45 UYU 58.3

53.79%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$3.34 UYU 135

-32.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$19.36 UYU 781

1.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$7.44 UYU 300

-50.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

$9.99 UYU 403

34.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

$1.02 UYU 40.98

136.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$1.45 UYU 58.5

37.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$0.49 UYU 19.66

106.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

$1.25 UYU 50.6

-61.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

$5.09 UYU 205

-16.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

$7.23 UYU 291

164.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

$1.79 UYU 72.3

2.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$2.15 UYU 86.5

27.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$1.20 UYU 48.42

18.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$44.61 UYU 1,799

-73.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

$1.43 UYU 57.6

109.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$1.51 UYU 60.8

-30.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

$11.05 UYU 446

25.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.90 UYU 76.5

-32.11%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

$39.2K UYU 1.6M

-28.49%

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$38.5K UYU 1.6M

-12.98%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$186 UYU 7,483

-34.27%

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

$13.93 ฿453

$19.80 UYU 798

-29.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$34.57 UYU 1,394

-45.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

$31.98 UYU 1,290

91.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

$9.76 UYU 394

-8.91%

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

$691 ฿22.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$66.2 UYU 2,670

-12.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$62.2 UYU 2,508

-43.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$111 UYU 4,496

1.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$67.7 UYU 2,731

22.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$433 UYU 17.5K

40.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$279 UYU 11.2K

60.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

$753 UYU 30.3K

169.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$474 UYU 19.1K

215.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$612 UYU 24.7K

-17.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for Salto: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $433 in Salto. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salto pays 21% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $39.00 in Salto for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $222 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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Salto earns 21% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $433 in Salto. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $39.00 in Salto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 281% less than in Salto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $1,262 in Salto, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Salto. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Salto, 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Salto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.