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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $737 in San Fernando, La Union.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,097 in San Fernando, La Union.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,458 in San Fernando, La Union.

Living in Phuket is roughly 72% more expensive than in San Fernando, La Union, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, San Fernando, La Union 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$3.79 ₱238

22.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$17.12 ₱1,073

88.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$2.77 ₱174

213.36%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.17 ₱136

33.64%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$0.61 ₱38.51

37.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.35 ₱21.71

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$1.13 ₱70.6

119.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$1.93 ₱121

93.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.62 ₱102

16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.13 ₱70.7

24.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$0.93 ₱58.3

74.19%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.88 ₱118

19.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$5.32 ₱333

272.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$4.30 ₱269

-19.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$7.27 ₱456

56.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.31 ₱145

25.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.56 ₱97.7

10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$2.34 ₱147

-2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.18 ₱74.0

80.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$2.13 ₱133

-30.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.99 ₱125

-28.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$0.77 ₱48.14

42.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$0.56 ₱34.83

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.90 ₱182

48.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$8.13 ₱510

128.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$0.99 ₱62.2

81.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.97 ₱123

50.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$0.25 ₱15.49

800.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

$11.07 ₱693

112.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$0.82 ₱51.2

278.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.25 ₱15.70

332.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$1.89 ₱118

104.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.02 ₱64.1

40.20%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$21.6K ₱1.4M

28.77%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$19.7K ₱1.2M

36.78%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$124 ₱7,741

-15.16%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$15.07 ₱945

-24.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$24.51 ₱1,536

-28.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$31.96 ₱2,003

70.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

$4.92 ₱308

132.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$5.18 ₱324

50.19%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$132 ₱8,298

335.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$7,963 ₱499.0K

45.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$31.98 ₱2,004

99.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$19.28 ₱1,208

50.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$71.0 ₱4,451

35.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$55.7 ₱3,493

61.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$268 ₱16.8K

173.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$170 ₱10.7K

193.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$491 ₱30.8K

333.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$346 ₱21.7K

262.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

$2,558 ₱160.3K

38.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

$1,038 ₱65.0K

152.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.75

-17.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $268 in San Fernando, La Union. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $17.00 in San Fernando, La Union for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $179 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 72% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,105 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: $733 in Phuket versus $268 in San Fernando, La Union. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $132 in San Fernando, La Union. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $737 in San Fernando, La Union versus $1,265 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 72% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.