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 $597 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $986 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,376 in San Juan.

Living in Phuket is roughly 112% more expensive than San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, San Juan 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$5.86 ARS 8,357

-19.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$29.78 ARS 42.5K

52.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$8.23 ARS 11.7K

2.43%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.50 ARS 2,142

95.33%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.97 ARS 1,384

-28.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.86 ARS 1,226

-56.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.98 ARS 2,828

21.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.93 ARS 4,179

26.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$0.72 ARS 1,022

209.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$0.71 ARS 1,016

157.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.22 ARS 1,736

77.87%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.67 ARS 2,378

32.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$3.45 ARS 4,928

472.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$3.56 ARS 5,080

1.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$3.90 ARS 5,560

246.92%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.51 ARS 2,157

117.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.47 ARS 2,095

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.49 ARS 2,123

61.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.08 ARS 2,974

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$0.62 ARS 891

146.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$0.66 ARS 945

124.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.42 ARS 593

135.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$0.86 ARS 1,222

-40.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.70 ARS 2,430

159.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$5.11 ARS 7,295

279.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.54 ARS 2,198

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$1.84 ARS 2,619

47.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.29 ARS 410

372.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$4.95 ARS 7,066

130.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$0.41 ARS 587

636.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.02 ARS 1,456

-2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$5.04 ARS 7,187

179.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.09 ARS 1,557

24.77%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$32.1K ARS 45.8M

-12.12%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$21.3K ARS 30.4M

54.58%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$76.8 ARS 109.6K

58.44%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$4.97 ARS 7,083

173.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$10.16 ARS 14.5K

80.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$18.15 ARS 25.9K

231.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$5.89 ARS 8,398

191.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$2.01 ARS 2,873

332.34%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$104 ARS 147.8K

569.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$2,153 ARS 3.1M

628.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$49.46 ARS 70.6K

20.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$49.96 ARS 71.3K

-30.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$100 ARS 143.1K

14.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$118 ARS 167.8K

-29.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$148 ARS 211.7K

313.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$89.6 ARS 127.7K

388.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$247 ARS 352.9K

746.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$197 ARS 281.2K

665.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$2,548 ARS 3.6M

47.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$2,112 ARS 3.0M

23.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$713 ARS 1.0M

-28.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-93.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for San Juan: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $148 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Juan pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $135 per month, with San Juan 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, San Juan earns 40% less. 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: $613 in Phuket versus $148 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $104 in San Juan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 117% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $597 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 112% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.