Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Jose del Monte Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Jose del Monte

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $785 in San Jose del Monte.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,244 in San Jose del Monte.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,702 in San Jose del Monte.

Living in Phuket is roughly 59% more expensive than in San Jose del Monte, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, San Jose del Monte 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.56 ₱281

-0.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$26.53 ₱1,636

74.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$3.53 ₱218

150.42%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.71 ₱167

12.92%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$0.87 ₱53.6

-16.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$0.45 ₱27.77

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.42 ₱87.7

71.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.61 ₱161

44.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.98 ₱122

14.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.35 ₱83.0

34.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.01 ₱62.4

122.77%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$1.98 ₱122

13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.09 ₱561

114.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$5.18 ₱320

-29.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.72 ₱538

49.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$0.68 ₱42.19

375.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.81 ₱112

-10.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$0.54 ₱33.40

340.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$1.45 ₱89.4

40.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.19 ₱135

-30.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.44 ₱88.5

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$1.04 ₱63.9

-5.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$0.69 ₱42.35

-24.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$3.34 ₱206

32.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$8.85 ₱546

107.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.33 ₱82.3

39.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$2.19 ₱135

22.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$0.26 ₱15.87

442.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.81 ₱50.2

283.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

$0.22 ₱13.50

372.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$2.10 ₱129

571.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.12 ₱69.0

16.96%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

$26.2K ₱1.6M

6.31%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$17.4K ₱1.1M

90.45%

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

$122 ฿4,118

$131 ₱8,107

-6.86%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$21.61 ₱1,333

-37.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$26.31 ₱1,622

-28.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$33.40 ₱2,060

81.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$4.44 ₱274

282.43%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$6.93 ₱427

30.88%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$151 ₱9,338

366.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

$4,375 ₱269.8K

261.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

$46.13 ₱2,845

26.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

$33.94 ₱2,093

4.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

$67.6 ₱4,171

70.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$46.72 ₱2,881

79.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$266 ₱16.4K

135.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$177 ₱10.9K

151.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$584 ₱36.0K

249.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$402 ₱24.8K

271.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$2,456 ₱151.4K

41.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$967 ₱59.7K

166.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.17

-13.61%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Jose del Monte: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $266 in San Jose del Monte. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in San Jose del Monte for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $199 per month, with San Jose del Monte 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 Jose del Monte: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Jose del Monte is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,178 in San Jose del Monte 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: $626 in Phuket versus $266 in San Jose del Monte. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $151 in San Jose del Monte. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Jose del Monte – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $785 in San Jose del Monte versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Jose del Monte but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Jose del Monte the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Jose del Monte 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 Jose del Monte 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 Jose del Monte gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.