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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $868 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,372 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $1,877 in San Juan.

Living in Phuket is roughly 46% more expensive than in San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, San Juan 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$7.11 ARS 10.7K

-34.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$40.20 ARS 60.6K

-19.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$12.48 ARS 18.8K

-30.45%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$2.58 ARS 3,890

12.40%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$2.19 ARS 3,301

-61.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$1.75 ARS 2,640

-72.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$3.95 ARS 5,959

-37.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$4.40 ARS 6,638

-15.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.32 ARS 1,998

43.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$1.41 ARS 2,124

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.41 ARS 2,123

14.89%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$1.46 ARS 2,201

53.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$2.79 ARS 4,207

611.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.28 ARS 9,467

-44.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.79 ARS 16.3K

5.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$1.39 ARS 2,092

108.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.45 ARS 2,183

18.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$1.35 ARS 2,030

68.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$1.41 ARS 2,120

51.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$1.39 ARS 2,098

5.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$1.44 ARS 2,173

-1.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$1.39 ARS 2,100

-20.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.45 ARS 2,195

-58.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$2.83 ARS 4,263

52.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$5.07 ARS 7,642

266.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.44 ARS 2,175

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$1.41 ARS 2,122

110.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

$1.03 ARS 1,547

118.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.02 ARS 3,046

53.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$0.98 ARS 1,478

10.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$4.86 ARS 7,328

-20.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.12 ARS 1,687

27.68%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$26.6K ARS 40.2M

4.38%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$33.1K ARS 50.0M

-18.53%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$137 ARS 206.8K

-23.57%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$10.18 ARS 15.4K

11.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$18.04 ARS 27.2K

-2.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$29.82 ARS 45.0K

82.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$7.17 ARS 10.8K

8.51%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$173 ARS 260.7K

233.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$4,198 ARS 6.3M

175.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$106 ARS 159.8K

-39.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$43.07 ARS 65.0K

-32.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$57.7 ARS 87.0K

66.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$35.91 ARS 54.2K

150.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

$250 ARS 376.9K

193.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$203 ARS 305.6K

147.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

$507 ARS 765.1K

319.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$395 ARS 595.1K

217.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$686 ARS 1.0M

-26.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

-89.69%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for San Juan: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $733 in Phuket and $250 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Juan pays 35% 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 $40.00 in San Juan. Groceries flip the comparison at $275 vs $189, with San Juan 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in San Juan. 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: $733 in Phuket versus $250 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $576 in Phuket versus $173 in San Juan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Juan – a meal for two runs $40.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $868 in San Juan versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Juan 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 Juan 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 Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.