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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $922 in San José.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,443 in San José.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,965 in San José.

Living in Phuket is roughly 37% more expensive than in San José, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, San José 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿153

$14.73 UYU 592

-68.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,059

$37.51 UYU 1,509

-14.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿285

$12.66 UYU 509

-31.44%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.3

$4.95 UYU 199

-41.41%

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

$0.84 ฿27.75

$2.40 UYU 96.7

-65.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.08

$2.43 UYU 97.6

-79.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿81.6

$3.84 UYU 154

-35.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$5.67 UYU 228

-34.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.0

$0.99 UYU 40.02

90.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.31

$2.04 UYU 82.1

-30.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.3

$1.47 UYU 59.0

10.20%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.7

$2.63 UYU 106

-14.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿652

$11.97 UYU 482

65.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿114

$7.53 UYU 303

-53.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿374

$11.67 UYU 469

-2.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.3

$1.26 UYU 50.8

130.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿56.7

$1.47 UYU 59.0

17.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿74.7

$1.26 UYU 50.8

80.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.1

$1.53 UYU 61.7

39.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.49

$1.01 UYU 40.57

45.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.69

$1.26 UYU 50.5

12.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.08

$1.50 UYU 60.3

-26.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.66

$1.87 UYU 75.4

-67.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$9.83 UYU 395

-56.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿612

$7.95 UYU 320

133.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.2

$3.12 UYU 126

-42.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿97.5

$3.26 UYU 131

-8.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿73.8

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿772

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$3.50 UYU 141

-11.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.39

$3.51 UYU 141

-69.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿127

$10.15 UYU 408

-61.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.93

$2.13 UYU 85.7

-32.86%

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

$27.8K ฿913.6K

$36.1K UYU 1.5M

-22.99%

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

$27.0K ฿887.2K

$40.1K UYU 1.6M

-32.69%

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

$105 ฿3,446

$115 UYU 4,614

-8.64%

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

$11.39 ฿375

$23.50 UYU 945

-51.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿577

$46.61 UYU 1,875

-62.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,787

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿376

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿256

$12.58 UYU 506

-38.16%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$488 UYU 19.6K

18.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿380.8K

$6,611 UYU 265.9K

75.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,092

$89.7 UYU 3,606

-29.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿957

$36.59 UYU 1,472

-20.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,164

$166 UYU 6,669

-41.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,960

$117 UYU 4,697

-22.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿69.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

11.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for San José: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $38.00 in San José. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $255, with San José 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 José: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San José is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,383 in San José 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.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $488 in San José. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San José – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $922 in San José versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San José but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San José the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San José 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 José 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 José gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.