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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,022 in San Juan del Sur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,719 in San Juan del Sur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,417 in San Juan del Sur.

Living in Phuket is roughly 24% more expensive than San Juan del Sur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, San Juan del Sur 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$4.25 NIO 156

10.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$33.80 NIO 1,238

34.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$5.52 NIO 202

52.72%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$2.35 NIO 86.0

24.68%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.85 NIO 31.14

-18.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.68 NIO 25.06

-45.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.30 NIO 47.48

85.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.02 NIO 73.9

84.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.26 NIO 46.20

76.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.48 NIO 54.1

23.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.17 NIO 42.88

85.47%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$1.96 NIO 71.7

12.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$7.79 NIO 285

153.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.39 NIO 234

-43.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$7.97 NIO 292

69.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.85 NIO 141

-14.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$0.84 NIO 30.90

91.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$1.78 NIO 65.1

35.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.26 NIO 82.8

-7.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$3.14 NIO 115

-51.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.17 NIO 79.5

-31.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.01 NIO 36.99

-1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.01 NIO 36.93

-49.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$2.61 NIO 95.4

68.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$9.65 NIO 354

100.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.46 NIO 53.5

21.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.23 NIO 81.9

21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$1.47 NIO 53.9

105.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$6.83 NIO 250

106.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.25 NIO 45.66

8.80%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$22.9K NIO 838.0K

23.26%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.9K NIO 948.6K

27.03%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$41.71 NIO 1,528

191.78%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$10.58 NIO 388

28.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$36.56 NIO 1,339

-49.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$29.69 NIO 1,087

102.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$7.80 NIO 286

11.41%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$123 NIO 4,505

463.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,973 NIO 218.8K

162.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$78.8 NIO 2,884

-24.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$73.8 NIO 2,702

-52.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$130 NIO 4,761

-11.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$110 NIO 4,025

-24.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$461 NIO 16.9K

32.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$409 NIO 15.0K

6.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$955 NIO 35.0K

119.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$958 NIO 35.1K

57.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$280 NIO 10.2K

81.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.25

-48.00%

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 del Sur: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $461 in San Juan del Sur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 82% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in San Juan del Sur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $223 per month, with San Juan del Sur 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 del Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan del Sur is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 82% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $461 in San Juan del Sur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $123 in San Juan del Sur. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Juan del Sur – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,022 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Juan del Sur but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan del Sur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Juan del Sur 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 del Sur 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 del Sur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.