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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,331 in Salto.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,078 in Phuket versus $1,944 in Salto.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,896 in Phuket versus $2,558 in Salto.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 5% less than in Salto, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Salto 3% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 ฿145

$16.24 UYU 653

-72.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.07 ฿1,151

$37.59 UYU 1,512

-6.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.96 ฿294

$11.85 UYU 476

-24.39%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.4

$3.23 UYU 130

-7.12%

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

$0.77 ฿25.33

$2.21 UYU 89.0

-65.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.44

$1.59 UYU 64.1

-70.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿78.6

$4.41 UYU 177

-45.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿123

$3.02 UYU 121

24.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ฿59.8

$1.45 UYU 58.1

25.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 ฿46.65

$2.07 UYU 83.4

-31.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿50.8

$1.51 UYU 60.6

2.65%

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$5.11 UYU 205

-58.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 ฿648

$15.14 UYU 609

30.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$8.48 UYU 341

-58.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 ฿364

$10.10 UYU 406

9.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿95.5

$1.27 UYU 51.0

129.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ฿54.6

$2.19 UYU 88.2

-24.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.5

$1.21 UYU 48.76

87.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.10 ฿68.8

$1.82 UYU 73.4

15.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.24

$0.91 UYU 36.69

61.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.29

$1.66 UYU 66.8

-15.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 ฿35.78

$0.87 UYU 34.95

25.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ฿17.58

$1.53 UYU 61.7

-64.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.48 ฿147

$5.18 UYU 208

-13.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.72 ฿614

$7.67 UYU 308

144.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿60.4

$1.84 UYU 74.0

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.95 ฿96.7

$2.55 UYU 102

15.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿74.1

$0.90 UYU 36.26

151.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.07 ฿757

$37.55 UYU 1,510

-38.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 ฿99.9

$1.52 UYU 61.0

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.09 ฿35.82

$2.68 UYU 108

-59.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 ฿125

$11.00 UYU 442

-65.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿48.79

$1.88 UYU 75.8

-20.74%

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

$27.4K ฿900.3K

$39.6K UYU 1.6M

-30.74%

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

$27.5K ฿902.7K

$39.5K UYU 1.6M

-30.31%

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

$102 ฿3,340

$196 UYU 7,877

-48.03%

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

$11.28 ฿370

$21.26 UYU 855

-46.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.75 ฿582

$29.51 UYU 1,186

-39.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.2 ฿1,777

$36.61 UYU 1,472

47.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.96 ฿360

$12.56 UYU 505

-12.74%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿258

$9.73 UYU 391

-19.32%

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

$577 ฿18.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿381.6K

$4,548 UYU 182.9K

155.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.4 ฿2,144

$86.6 UYU 3,481

-24.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.89 ฿948

$55.9 UYU 2,249

-48.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 ฿3,250

$116 UYU 4,647

-14.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,961

$64.9 UYU 2,611

39.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$756 ฿24.8K

$449 UYU 18.1K

68.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 ฿16.0K

$293 UYU 11.8K

66.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,085 ฿68.4K

$748 UYU 30.1K

178.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ฿39.6K

$428 UYU 17.2K

182.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,591 ฿117.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,610 ฿85.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿16.5K

$609 UYU 24.5K

-17.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 18, 2026

Last update for Salto: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $756 in Phuket and $449 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: $35.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in Salto. Groceries flip the comparison at $272 vs $271, with Salto 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 Salto: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 6% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 21% lower in Salto. 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: $756 in Phuket versus $449 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 $35.00 versus $38.00 in Salto. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 63% less than in Salto. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,331 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 6% less than in Salto. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.