Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Ignacio

For one person, living is cheaper in San Ignacio: $982 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $2,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,208

/mo nomad

San Ignacio

🇧🇿 Belize

$982

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in San Ignacio

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in San Ignacio actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,208 in Phuket versus $982 in San Ignacio.

Phuket $1,208
San Ignacio $982

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,027 in Phuket versus $1,270 in San Ignacio.

Phuket $2,027
San Ignacio $1,270

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,845 in Phuket versus $1,558 in San Ignacio.

Phuket $2,845
San Ignacio $1,558

Living in Phuket is roughly 23% more expensive than in San Ignacio, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, San Ignacio 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.40 ฿147

$15.17 BZD 30.34

-71.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,078

$44.66 BZD 89.3

-27.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿94.5

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

$0.90 ฿30.14

$1.03 BZD 2.05

-12.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ฿15.56

$0.97 BZD 1.95

-51.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 ฿85.2

$2.92 BZD 5.84

-12.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 ฿128

$3.91 BZD 7.81

-2.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ฿57.7

$8.16 BZD 16.32

-78.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿49.11

$2.56 BZD 5.11

-42.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 ฿50.6

Eggs

$2.17 ฿72.7

$4.88 BZD 9.77

-55.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.70 ฿658

$15.12 BZD 30.25

30.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ฿112

$3.76 BZD 7.51

-11.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ฿373

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 ฿95.1

$4.86 BZD 9.72

-41.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿56.9

Oranges (1kg)

$2.19 ฿73.3

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$2.92 BZD 5.85

-29.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 ฿48.57

$1.52 BZD 3.03

-4.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.16

$1.52 BZD 3.05

-9.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.69

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.91

$1.01 BZD 2.03

-49.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$18.58 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.7

$1.52 BZD 3.04

17.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ฿95.2

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.26 ฿75.6

$2.02 BZD 4.04

11.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.10 ฿738

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.01 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.34

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.86 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 ฿48.45

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

$26.3K ฿879.9K

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

$26.9K ฿900.4K

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

$96.4 ฿3,221

$70.4 BZD 141

36.92%

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

$11.04 ฿369

$150 BZD 300

-92.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.14 ฿573

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.2 ฿1,744

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ฿373

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ฿261

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

$556 ฿18.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿387.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 ฿2,146

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.69 ฿959

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.4 ฿3,187

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.0 ฿2,940

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ฿24.6K

$608 BZD 1,216

21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ฿15.5K

$344 BZD 689

34.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,095 ฿70.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ฿40.1K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 ฿116.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,523 ฿84.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.7K

$989 BZD 1,977

-49.35%

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: October 19, 2026

Last update for San Ignacio: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$462 38.3%

San Ignacio

–

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$269 22.2%

San Ignacio

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$125 10.3%

San Ignacio

–

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$124 10.3%

San Ignacio

–

Eating Out

Phuket

$121 10%

San Ignacio

–

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$68 5.6%

San Ignacio

–

Getting Around

Phuket

$39 3.3%

San Ignacio

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Phuket and $608 in San Ignacio. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Ignacio pays 97% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in San Ignacio. Groceries flip the comparison at $269 vs $257, with San Ignacio cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇧🇿 San Ignacio

🕒 Local time

05:05 5:05 AM

16:05 4:05 PM

13 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

17,878

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Belize Dollar BZD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 BZD = 0.5 USD

1 BZD = 0.445 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BZD, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Belize Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2 BZD (1 BZD = 0.5 USD). 1 EUR = 2.25 BZD (1 BZD = 0.445 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Phuket San Ignacio 17,110 km ≈ 22 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
San Ignacio

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, clothing, and leisure. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 97% 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: $737 in Phuket versus $608 in San Ignacio. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% 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 $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $982 in San Ignacio versus $1,208 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 23% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.