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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,253 in Phuket versus $991 in San Ignacio.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,043 in Phuket versus $1,265 in San Ignacio.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,833 in Phuket versus $1,539 in San Ignacio.

Living in Phuket is roughly 26% more expensive than in San Ignacio, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 9% lower, San Ignacio 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿150

$15.29 BZD 30.58

-70.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.62 ฿1,073

$45.39 BZD 90.8

-28.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.90 ฿293

Cappuccino

$2.80 ฿92.2

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

$0.88 ฿28.94

$1.02 BZD 2.05

-13.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$1.02 BZD 2.04

-51.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.5

$2.95 BZD 5.91

-18.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.71 ฿122

$4.02 BZD 8.05

-7.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$8.23 BZD 16.47

-78.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 ฿47.40

$2.56 BZD 5.12

-43.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ฿52.1

Eggs

$2.13 ฿69.9

$4.72 BZD 9.44

-54.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.92 ฿655

$15.14 BZD 30.28

31.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ฿113

$3.76 BZD 7.52

-8.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.33 ฿372

Apples (1kg)

$2.95 ฿97.0

$5.10 BZD 10.20

-42.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 ฿76.5

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$2.94 BZD 5.87

-29.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.34

$1.52 BZD 3.05

-3.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.36 ฿44.65

$1.53 BZD 3.06

-11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.13

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ฿18.89

$1.02 BZD 2.04

-44.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿140

Wine (Bottle)

$18.42 ฿606

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.87 ฿61.5

$1.54 BZD 3.08

21.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.92 ฿96.1

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.22 ฿73.0

$2.03 BZD 4.07

9.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.90 ฿753

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿99.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.07 ฿35.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.06

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

$27.1K ฿892.0K

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

$27.5K ฿902.6K

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

$103 ฿3,380

$69.5 BZD 139

47.83%

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

$10.99 ฿361

$149 BZD 299

-92.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿576

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.5 ฿1,760

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.20 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ฿246

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

$557 ฿18.3K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.9K ฿389.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.1 ฿2,107

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.07 ฿956

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 ฿3,155

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.3 ฿2,970

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$730 ฿24.0K

$589 BZD 1,179

23.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$500 ฿16.4K

$354 BZD 709

41.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ฿39.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,596 ฿118.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,512 ฿82.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.6K

$983 BZD 1,966

-48.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026

Last update for San Ignacio: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $730 in Phuket and $589 in San Ignacio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Ignacio pays 95% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in San Ignacio. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $259, with San Ignacio 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 San Ignacio: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Ignacio is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in San Ignacio. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $730 in Phuket versus $589 in San Ignacio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in San Ignacio – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $991 in San Ignacio versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in San Ignacio but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Ignacio the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Ignacio 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 Ignacio 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 Ignacio gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.