Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Martin de los Andes

For one person, living is cheaper in San Martin de los Andes: $1,261 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Phuket outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Phuket, Thailand
San Martin de los Andes, Argentina
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
San Martin de los Andes
🇦🇷 Argentina
$1,261
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in San Martin de los Andes

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in San Martin de los Andes actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $1,261 in San Martin de los Andes.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • San Martin de los Andes $1,261

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $2,115 in San Martin de los Andes.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • San Martin de los Andes $2,115

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $2,970 in San Martin de los Andes.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • San Martin de los Andes $2,970

Living in Phuket is roughly 3% more expensive than in San Martin de los Andes, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, San Martin de los Andes 7% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
San Martin de los Andes
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿147
$17.25 ARS 26.6K
-74.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,080
$56.3 ARS 87.0K
-42.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿291
$13.03 ARS 20.1K
-33.23%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.1
$3.80 ARS 5,865
-28.42%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.11
$2.20 ARS 3,399
-57.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.70
$1.87 ARS 2,881
-73.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.6
$3.79 ARS 5,854
-33.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿121
$3.99 ARS 6,167
-9.02%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
San Martin de los Andes
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$1.35 ARS 2,082
28.89%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.51
$2.19 ARS 3,377
-33.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.2
$1.77 ARS 2,736
-15.25%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.6
$2.70 ARS 4,166
-19.63%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿638
$11.85 ARS 18.3K
61.10%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿114
$8.02 ARS 12.4K
-57.61%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿364
$11.28 ARS 17.4K
-3.37%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.3
$2.37 ARS 3,657
24.05%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.6
$2.27 ARS 3,505
-25.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.4
$1.55 ARS 2,393
41.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.0
$2.69 ARS 4,154
-21.19%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.77
$1.06 ARS 1,639
37.74%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.74
$0.96 ARS 1,477
42.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿35.98
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
$1.53 ARS 2,358
-64.05%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿148
$3.29 ARS 5,085
34.65%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿610
$5.12 ARS 7,915
256.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.3
$2.10 ARS 3,249
-15.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.3
$3.46 ARS 5,340
-16.76%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
San Martin de los Andes
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.40
$1.02 ARS 1,573
42.16%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,835
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.6
$1.54 ARS 2,383
-1.95%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿25.94
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿128
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.74
$1.20 ARS 1,851
24.17%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿898.9K
$25.1K ARS 38.7M
7.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿881.0K
$32.7K ARS 50.5M
-19.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
San Martin de los Andes
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,271
$123 ARS 189.6K
-20.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿378
$16.66 ARS 25.7K
-32.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿575
$23.68 ARS 36.6K
-27.41%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
San Martin de los Andes
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,285
$30.83 ARS 47.6K
121.63%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿365
$20.28 ARS 31.3K
-46.15%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿248
$9.10 ARS 14.1K
-18.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
San Martin de los Andes
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.7K
$241 ARS 371.5K
120.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿628.1K
$4,156 ARS 6.4M
351.94%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
San Martin de los Andes
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,062
$116 ARS 178.6K
-46.66%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿945
$81.4 ARS 125.8K
-65.31%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,210
$114 ARS 176.4K
-15.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,903
$117 ARS 181.2K
-26.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
San Martin de los Andes
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.1K
$525 ARS 810.4K
37.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.0K
$325 ARS 502.1K
56.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.2K
$1,051 ARS 1.6M
85.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿46.7K
$811 ARS 1.3M
72.32%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿140.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.3K
$1,291 ARS 2.0M
155.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
San Martin de los Andes
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.4K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
0
-

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for San Martin de los Andes: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
San Martin de los Andes
$325 36.1% $184
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
San Martin de los Andes
$259 * 3% $7.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
San Martin de los Andes
$163 29.2% $37
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
San Martin de los Andes
$193 57.1% $70
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
San Martin de los Andes
$266 122% $146
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
San Martin de los Andes
$49 41.1% $34
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
San Martin de los Andes
$5.6 * 91.5% $60

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $525 in San Martin de los Andes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $56 in San Martin de los Andes. Groceries flip the comparison at $267 vs $259, with San Martin de los Andes cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇦🇷 San Martin de los Andes
🕒 Local time
14:44 2:44 PM
04:44 4:44 AM
10 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
36,913
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

ARS, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.56 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Argentine Peso exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1,544 ARS (10,000 ARS = 6.47 USD). 1 EUR = 1,735 ARS (10,000 ARS = 5.76 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket San Martin de los Andes 16,280 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • San Martin de los Andes

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Martin de los Andes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Martin de los Andes cheaper than Phuket?
San Martin de los Andes is about 3% cheaper overall, especially in transport, leisure, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $1,940 in Phuket and $1,891 in San Martin de los Andes 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and San Martin de los Andes?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $525 in San Martin de los Andes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $530 in Phuket versus $241 in San Martin de los Andes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in San Martin de los Andes?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $56 in San Martin de los Andes. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Phuket or in San Martin de los Andes?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. San Martin de los Andes is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in San Martin de los Andes?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Phuket or San Martin de los Andes?
Safety-wise, Phuket and San Martin de los Andes are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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