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: $1,190 in Phuket versus $772 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $1,317 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $1,863 in San Juan.

Living in Phuket is roughly 54% more expensive than in San Juan, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 11% lower, San Juan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.35 ฿146

$10.49 TTD 70.6

-58.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.45 ฿1,091

$57.9 TTD 389

-43.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 ฿283

$8.08 TTD 54.4

4.21%

Cappuccino

$2.81 ฿94.4

$3.64 TTD 24.48

-22.80%

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

$1.20 TTD 8.04

-27.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ฿15.46

$0.70 TTD 4.74

-34.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ฿86.9

$2.18 TTD 14.69

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.64 ฿123

$2.90 TTD 19.54

25.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 ฿57.4

$2.00 TTD 13.45

-14.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ฿48.62

$2.31 TTD 15.56

-37.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 ฿52.5

$2.86 TTD 19.28

-45.45%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.6

$3.76 TTD 25.31

-44.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.53 ฿656

$6.50 TTD 43.71

200.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.40 ฿114

$10.22 TTD 68.8

-66.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.14 ฿375

$9.17 TTD 61.7

21.48%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 ฿95.2

$5.61 TTD 37.73

-49.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.6

$2.49 TTD 16.77

-34.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 ฿74.8

$3.61 TTD 24.29

-38.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.15 ฿72.2

$4.39 TTD 29.51

-51.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$0.76 TTD 5.10

96.05%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ฿44.59

$0.75 TTD 5.07

77.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.87

$1.45 TTD 9.76

-26.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿17.08

$1.16 TTD 7.79

-56.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ฿147

$5.47 TTD 36.83

-19.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ฿631

$18.02 TTD 121

4.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 ฿58.5

$1.50 TTD 10.09

16.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿93.3

$2.96 TTD 19.92

-6.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 ฿72.9

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.28 ฿749

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿101

$0.86 TTD 5.77

251.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.06 ฿35.57

$0.90 TTD 6.06

17.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 ฿125

$14.55 TTD 97.9

-74.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿48.08

$1.11 TTD 7.47

28.83%

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

$26.3K ฿885.8K

$36.4K TTD 245.1K

-27.66%

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

$26.2K ฿881.0K

$40.5K TTD 272.6K

-35.33%

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

$96.7 ฿3,250

$44.96 TTD 302

114.99%

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

$11.41 ฿384

$41.52 TTD 279

-72.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.11 ฿575

$45.45 TTD 306

-62.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 ฿1,775

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿372

Cinema Ticket

$7.65 ฿257

$8.82 TTD 59.4

-13.27%

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

$555 ฿18.7K

$404 TTD 2,719

37.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿379.3K

$11.0K TTD 74.1K

2.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.4 ฿2,132

$55.6 TTD 374

14.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.61 ฿962

$36.30 TTD 244

-21.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.7 ฿3,252

$89.7 TTD 604

7.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.6 ฿2,979

$89.9 TTD 605

-1.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$735 ฿24.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$458 ฿15.4K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,102 ฿70.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 ฿39.9K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,493 ฿117.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,491 ฿83.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

5.75

-3.13%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for San Juan: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $58.0 in San Juan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $320 per month, with Phuket 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 Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 54% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,785 in Phuket and $1,158 in San Juan 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 $555 in Phuket versus $404 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 $58.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $772 in San Juan versus $1,190 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 54% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.