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: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,061 in San Juan del Sur.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,748 in San Juan del Sur.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,434 in San Juan del Sur.

Living in Phuket is roughly 18% more expensive than in San Juan del Sur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, San Juan del Sur 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$4.25 NIO 156

7.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$33.73 NIO 1,235

36.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$5.54 NIO 203

59.57%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.43 NIO 88.8

25.93%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$0.79 NIO 28.88

-7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.67 NIO 24.45

-40.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.33 NIO 48.78

82.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$2.03 NIO 74.5

86.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.26 NIO 46.32

79.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.53 NIO 56.0

18.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.17 NIO 42.74

92.31%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.87 NIO 68.3

20.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$7.78 NIO 285

150.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.48 NIO 237

-43.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.15 NIO 298

60.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$4.00 NIO 146

-19.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$0.83 NIO 30.35

95.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.83 NIO 67.2

30.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$2.17 NIO 79.4

-6.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$3.22 NIO 118

-52.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.16 NIO 79.2

-30.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$1.07 NIO 39.10

-8.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.06 NIO 38.70

-50.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.71 NIO 99.4

63.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$9.99 NIO 366

83.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.42 NIO 51.9

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$2.21 NIO 80.8

21.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$1.47 NIO 53.8

111.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$6.85 NIO 251

105.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.24 NIO 45.37

5.65%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$22.5K NIO 825.0K

23.49%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$26.2K NIO 958.4K

26.94%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$42.79 NIO 1,567

186.14%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$10.45 NIO 383

30.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$36.21 NIO 1,326

-48.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$30.32 NIO 1,111

99.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$8.10 NIO 297

11.98%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$123 NIO 4,499

475.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$6,022 NIO 220.5K

162.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$75.9 NIO 2,780

-22.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$72.9 NIO 2,668

-51.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$134 NIO 4,914

-13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$108 NIO 3,951

-22.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$464 NIO 17.0K

34.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$402 NIO 14.7K

10.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$962 NIO 35.2K

112.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$961 NIO 35.2K

55.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$354 NIO 13.0K

41.34%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Juan del Sur: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $464 in San Juan del Sur. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 41% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $34.00 in San Juan del Sur for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $226 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 18% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 41% higher in Phuket, 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: $626 in Phuket versus $464 in San Juan del Sur. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 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 $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,061 in San Juan del Sur versus $1,250 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 18% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.