Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Fernando Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Fernando

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $1,125 in San Fernando.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,764 in San Fernando.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,403 in San Fernando.

Living in Phuket is roughly 12% more expensive than San Fernando, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, San Fernando 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$10.50 MX$180

-56.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$39.52 MX$678

17.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$8.05 MX$138

5.22%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$3.38 MX$58.1

-10.36%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$1.28 MX$21.97

-46.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.90 MX$15.49

-58.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$2.35 MX$40.26

5.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.95 MX$67.7

-7.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.42 MX$24.40

53.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$2.63 MX$45.08

-27.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.63 MX$27.90

34.97%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.28 MX$39.13

-2.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$7.89 MX$135

153.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$7.70 MX$132

-52.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$10.61 MX$182

24.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$2.71 MX$46.57

19.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.41 MX$24.12

20.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.78 MX$30.53

34.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.61 MX$27.56

29.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.84 MX$31.55

-13.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.98 MX$34.01

-25.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

$1.22 MX$20.88

-15.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$1.01 MX$17.38

-48.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.12 MX$70.8

3.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$9.78 MX$168

92.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.55 MX$26.65

13.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.86 MX$49.14

-3.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.65 MX$11.14

109.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$2.57 MX$44.07

22.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.58 MX$27.18

-34.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$8.23 MX$141

67.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.28 MX$21.95

4.69%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$21.6K MX$370.3K

28.28%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$22.9K MX$393.4K

47.74%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$56.4 MX$968

119.21%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$21.98 MX$377

-38.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$27.66 MX$475

-32.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$35.57 MX$611

73.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$15.91 MX$273

8.42%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$4.69 MX$80.5

94.88%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$202 MX$3,474

247.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$3,609 MX$61.9K

339.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$52.6 MX$902

13.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$39.75 MX$682

-11.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$90.8 MX$1,559

26.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$77.8 MX$1,335

8.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$513 MX$8,806

20.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$392 MX$6,725

10.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$930 MX$16.0K

121.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$749 MX$12.9K

101.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$2,226 MX$38.2K

63.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,401 MX$24.1K

87.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.48

-53.57%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $513 in San Fernando. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $40.00 in San Fernando for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $247 per month, with San Fernando 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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Fernando is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,892 in Phuket and $1,687 in San Fernando 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: $619 in Phuket versus $513 in San Fernando. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $202 in San Fernando. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Fernando – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,125 in San Fernando versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Fernando but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Fernando 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 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 gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.