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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $908 in San Isidro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,492 in San Isidro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,076 in San Isidro.

Living in Phuket is roughly 39% more expensive than in San Isidro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, San Isidro 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$8.78 ARS 13.0K

-48.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$29.88 ARS 44.4K

52.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$9.13 ARS 13.6K

-4.05%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$1.69 ARS 2,516

75.74%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$1.27 ARS 1,883

-45.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.18 ARS 1,748

-66.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$1.21 ARS 1,791

109.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$2.80 ARS 4,163

33.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$1.27 ARS 1,892

69.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$1.61 ARS 2,393

13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.83 ARS 2,723

19.13%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$2.25 ARS 3,338

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$11.96 ARS 17.8K

67.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$5.83 ARS 8,657

-37.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

$9.45 ARS 14.0K

43.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

$1.86 ARS 2,763

74.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$2.04 ARS 3,032

-19.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

$0.93 ARS 1,388

150.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$2.65 ARS 3,928

-21.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.45 ARS 2,147

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$1.42 ARS 2,110

2.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$0.88 ARS 1,300

11.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

$1.43 ARS 2,125

-66.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

$3.21 ARS 4,764

35.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

$4.69 ARS 6,971

295.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

$1.29 ARS 1,918

44.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$3.19 ARS 4,742

-16.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$0.76 ARS 1,132

86.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$1.57 ARS 2,335

101.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$0.87 ARS 1,287

18.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

$6.05 ARS 8,986

129.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.04 ARS 1,543

28.85%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

$24.0K ARS 35.7M

15.68%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$26.0K ARS 38.6M

28.37%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$55.4 ARS 82.2K

122.15%

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

$13.77 ฿459

$18.66 ARS 27.7K

-26.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$14.79 ARS 22.0K

23.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

$26.01 ARS 38.6K

133.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

$14.03 ARS 20.8K

22.31%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

$5.15 ARS 7,645

72.23%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

$329 ARS 488.7K

109.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$1,094 ARS 1.6M

1342.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$80.7 ARS 119.8K

-26.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$68.7 ARS 102.1K

-49.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$107 ARS 159.0K

7.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$96.1 ARS 142.7K

-12.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$340 ARS 505.2K

82.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$235 ARS 349.6K

89.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

$673 ARS 999.7K

202.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$532 ARS 790.0K

181.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$2,286 ARS 3.4M

51.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

$1,525 ARS 2.3M

66.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$600 ARS 891.4K

-17.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

52.71

-89.89%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for San Isidro: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $340 in San Isidro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Isidro pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in San Isidro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $227 per month, with San Isidro 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 Isidro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Isidro is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 39% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 22% lower in San Isidro. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $340 in San Isidro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $329 in San Isidro. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Isidro – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $908 in San Isidro versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Isidro but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Isidro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Isidro 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 Isidro 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 Isidro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.