Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Samut Sakhon Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Samut Sakhon

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $885 in Samut Sakhon.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,390 in Samut Sakhon.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,896 in Samut Sakhon.

Living in Phuket is roughly 43% more expensive than Samut Sakhon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Samut Sakhon 34% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$1.83 ฿60.0

156.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,489

$18.81 ฿617

141.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿277

$6.09 ฿200

38.42%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿96.1

$1.19 ฿39.20

146.22%

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

$0.69 ฿22.50

$0.35 ฿11.64

97.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.32 ฿10.60

15.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.92 ฿63.1

25.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.48 ฿81.3

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.3

$1.69 ฿55.4

31.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿60.1

$1.41 ฿46.31

29.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿71.1

$1.32 ฿43.36

64.39%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.6

$2.33 ฿76.6

-5.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿648

$15.44 ฿506

27.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.29 ฿108

10.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿444

$11.40 ฿374

18.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿108

$3.26 ฿107

0.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.9

$1.33 ฿43.77

21.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.91 ฿62.8

26.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$1.40 ฿46.08

48.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.47 ฿48.35

4.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.58

$1.20 ฿39.49

23.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.44

$1.68 ฿55.2

-41.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.74

$0.57 ฿18.81

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿145

$4.74 ฿155

-6.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿636

$17.10 ฿561

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$1.83 ฿60.1

-2.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿89.0

$2.36 ฿77.5

14.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.99

$0.38 ฿12.39

260.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿99.1

$1.06 ฿34.75

184.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.63

$1.25 ฿41.04

-20.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿463

$3.45 ฿113

308.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.71

$1.20 ฿39.39

13.33%

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

$28.2K ฿925.3K

$25.9K ฿849.4K

8.94%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.7K ฿875.5K

23.30%

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

$122 ฿3,993

$76.9 ฿2,522

58.36%

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

$13.57 ฿445

$13.81 ฿453

-1.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿601

$18.16 ฿596

0.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,976

$49.11 ฿1,611

22.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿562

$12.35 ฿405

38.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿285

$7.90 ฿259

10.00%

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

$693 ฿22.8K

$296 ฿9,704

134.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿514.7K

$9,193 ฿301.6K

70.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,953

$30.08 ฿987

97.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,141

$19.54 ฿641

77.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,760

$99.5 ฿3,264

15.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,733

$43.33 ฿1,422

92.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.1K

$426 ฿14.0K

44.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$286 ฿9,370

53.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.7K

$807 ฿26.5K

159.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.5K

$667 ฿21.9K

126.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿123.0K

$2,265 ฿74.3K

65.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.8K

$1,507 ฿49.5K

73.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Samut Sakhon: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $426 in Samut Sakhon. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $19.00 in Samut Sakhon for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $250 per month, with Samut Sakhon 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 Samut Sakhon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Samut Sakhon is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,328 in Samut Sakhon 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: $613 in Phuket versus $426 in Samut Sakhon. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $296 in Samut Sakhon. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Samut Sakhon – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $885 in Samut Sakhon versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Samut Sakhon but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Samut Sakhon the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Samut Sakhon 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 Samut Sakhon 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 Samut Sakhon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.