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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,386 in San Lorenzo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $2,074 in San Lorenzo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,762 in San Lorenzo.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 11% less than in San Lorenzo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, San Lorenzo is 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$11.91 $11.91

-61.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$80.7 $80.7

-41.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$9.74 $9.74

-9.24%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$3.54 $3.54

-15.25%

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

$0.74 ฿24.25

$1.78 $1.78

-58.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$1.45 $1.45

-74.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$3.07 $3.07

-20.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$4.48 $4.48

-19.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$2.50 $2.50

-9.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$3.60 $3.60

-48.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.27 $2.27

-1.32%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$5.87 $5.87

-60.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$8.92 $8.92

120.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$8.32 $8.32

-56.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$12.81 $12.81

2.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$5.83 $5.83

-41.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$2.62 $2.62

-37.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$3.87 $3.87

-37.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$3.95 $3.95

-48.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$4.03 $4.03

-61.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$3.07 $3.07

-51.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$3.04 $3.04

-66.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$1.97 $1.97

-75.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$12.19 $12.19

-63.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$15.56 $15.56

21.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.55 $2.55

-30.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$3.29 $3.29

-16.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$1.49 $1.49

-32.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$14.98 $14.98

-5.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.02 $1.02

32.35%

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

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$35.4K $35.4K

-23.31%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$26.8K $26.8K

22.97%

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

$125 ฿4,087

$483 $483

-74.12%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$78.8 $78.8

-82.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$72.4 $72.4

-74.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$11.79 $11.79

-22.05%

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

$698 ฿22.8K

$464 $464

50.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$10.4K $10.4K

50.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$45.32 $45.32

27.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$55.6 $55.6

-36.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$89.6 $89.6

26.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$106 $106

-18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$1,811 $1,811

13.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.71

-6.65%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for San Lorenzo: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $81.0 in San Lorenzo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $385 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 Lorenzo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $2,079 in San Lorenzo 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 $698 in Phuket versus $464 in San Lorenzo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $81.0 in San Lorenzo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,386 in San Lorenzo, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in San Lorenzo. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Lorenzo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and San Lorenzo 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in San Lorenzo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.