Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Samana Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Samana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $740 in Samana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,212 in Samana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $1,685 in Samana.

Living in Phuket is roughly 66% more expensive than in Samana, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, Samana 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$8.64 DOP 507

-48.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$42.56 DOP 2,501

-24.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$7.17 DOP 421

24.55%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$1.88 DOP 110

54.26%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$0.73 DOP 42.86

20.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$0.39 DOP 22.71

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$2.48 DOP 146

-5.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.10 DOP 241

-9.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$1.19 DOP 69.7

57.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$1.85 DOP 109

-20.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$1.61 DOP 94.4

-3.73%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$1.53 DOP 90.0

37.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$6.50 DOP 382

201.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$3.59 DOP 211

-4.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$4.98 DOP 293

128.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$3.65 DOP 215

-18.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$1.48 DOP 87.1

13.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

$3.28 DOP 193

-32.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$1.92 DOP 113

12.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$3.70 DOP 218

-58.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.90 DOP 171

-53.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$0.95 DOP 56.0

18.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

$1.64 DOP 96.1

-66.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$4.85 DOP 285

-12.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

$8.37 DOP 492

128.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.99 DOP 176

-40.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$3.49 DOP 205

-20.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

$0.81 DOP 47.74

175.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$2.47 DOP 145

22.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

$3.41 DOP 200

-70.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.24 DOP 72.8

20.16%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

$15.0K DOP 879.6K

77.58%

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

$25.6K DOP 1.5M

5.62%

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

$102 ฿3,420

$97.4 DOP 5,725

5.17%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$16.79 DOP 987

-32.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$39.47 DOP 2,319

-55.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

$5.19 DOP 305

48.17%

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

$561 ฿18.7K

$154 DOP 9,075

263.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

$5,675 DOP 333.4K

102.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

$27.45 DOP 1,613

129.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

$46.31 DOP 2,721

-36.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

$62.4 DOP 3,664

57.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

$69.0 DOP 4,055

28.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$137 DOP 8,044

439.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$100 DOP 5,902

380.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$342 DOP 20.1K

516.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$257 DOP 15.1K

376.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-49.36%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Samana: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $137 in Samana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $43.00 in Samana. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $224, with Samana 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 Samana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samana 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.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,110 in Samana 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $137 in Samana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $154 in Samana. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Samana – a meal for two runs $43.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $740 in Samana versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Samana but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Samana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Samana 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 Samana 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 Samana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.