Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Fernando, La Union Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Fernando, La Union

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $688 in San Fernando, La Union.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,025 in San Fernando, La Union.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,363 in San Fernando, La Union.

Living in Phuket is roughly 82% more expensive than in San Fernando, La Union, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, San Fernando, La Union 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$3.64 ₱225

25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$17.85 ₱1,101

158.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$3.35 ₱206

163.88%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.39 ₱147

28.03%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.78 ₱48.38

-6.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.39 ₱24.25

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.35 ₱83.6

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.12 ₱131

78.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$2.96 ₱182

-23.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.26 ₱77.7

43.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$0.95 ₱58.7

136.84%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$2.03 ₱125

10.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$8.11 ₱500

140.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$4.36 ₱269

-16.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$7.51 ₱463

73.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$2.88 ₱178

12.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.51 ₱93.4

7.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$2.63 ₱162

-9.51%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.53 ₱94.6

32.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.28 ₱140

-32.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.61 ₱161

-42.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.11 ₱68.3

-11.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.71 ₱43.49

-26.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.86 ₱176

55.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.85 ₱546

107.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.15 ₱71.1

61.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.97 ₱121

36.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.28 ₱17.28

403.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.78 ₱47.90

298.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.22 ₱13.52

372.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.17 ₱134

550.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.19 ₱73.6

10.08%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$26.3K ₱1.6M

5.90%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

60.81%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$115 ₱7,063

6.92%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$32.66 ₱2,014

-58.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$26.98 ₱1,664

-30.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$13.15 ₱811

360.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$4.52 ₱279

275.66%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.11 ₱377

48.45%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$154 ₱9,467

360.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$5,905 ₱364.1K

167.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$44.89 ₱2,769

30.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$26.87 ₱1,657

31.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$35.92 ₱2,215

221.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$39.67 ₱2,447

111.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$132 ₱8,131

374.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$123 ₱7,615

260.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$252 ₱15.6K

708.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$216 ₱13.3K

590.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,200 ₱135.7K

58.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$946 ₱58.3K

172.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.67

-20.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $132 in San Fernando, La Union. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in San Fernando, La Union for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $217 per month, with San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Fernando, La Union is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 82% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,032 in San Fernando, La Union 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: $626 in Phuket versus $132 in San Fernando, La Union. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $154 in San Fernando, La Union. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Fernando, La Union – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $688 in San Fernando, La Union versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Fernando, La Union but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando, La Union the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.