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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,141 in San Martin de los Andes.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $1,900 in San Martin de los Andes.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $2,659 in San Martin de los Andes.

Living in Phuket is roughly 8% more expensive than in San Martin de los Andes, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 10% lower, San Martin de los Andes 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$13.37 ARS 20.2K

-67.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,073

$49.99 ARS 75.5K

-35.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿297

$11.76 ARS 17.7K

-24.06%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.3

$3.73 ARS 5,631

-22.25%

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

$0.88 ฿29.27

$1.95 ARS 2,945

-54.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.00

$1.59 ARS 2,393

-69.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.2

$3.34 ARS 5,043

-29.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$4.22 ARS 6,368

-11.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.0

$1.33 ARS 2,014

40.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.75

$2.32 ARS 3,505

-36.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

$1.91 ARS 2,885

-18.85%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿69.9

$2.80 ARS 4,227

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿651

$10.01 ARS 15.1K

95.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$7.98 ARS 12.0K

-57.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿378

$11.29 ARS 17.0K

0.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.2

$2.21 ARS 3,341

34.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.0

$2.12 ARS 3,197

-20.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.5

$1.50 ARS 2,266

47.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿71.9

$2.57 ARS 3,884

-15.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.7

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.49

$1.12 ARS 1,688

19.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.53

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.17

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

$3.08 ARS 4,655

38.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿635

$5.67 ARS 8,562

236.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.2

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.5

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.1

$1.11 ARS 1,674

100.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

$1.59 ARS 2,394

90.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.02

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿129

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.57

$1.15 ARS 1,742

29.57%

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

$26.6K ฿883.8K

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

$27.0K ฿898.7K

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

$102 ฿3,407

$94.5 ARS 142.7K

8.39%

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

$11.33 ฿377

$14.70 ARS 22.2K

-22.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿578

$31.83 ARS 48.1K

-45.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,732

$30.35 ARS 45.8K

71.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿256

$7.97 ARS 12.0K

-3.51%

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

$561 ฿18.6K

$322 ARS 485.5K

74.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿382.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,096

$111 ARS 168.1K

-43.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿982

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,259

$129 ARS 194.6K

-23.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,943

$116 ARS 174.6K

-23.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.5K

$438 ARS 660.5K

68.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

$318 ARS 479.8K

51.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.0K

$841 ARS 1.3M

150.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

$657 ARS 991.5K

86.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for San Martin de los Andes: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $438 in San Martin de los Andes. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $50.0 in San Martin de los Andes. Groceries flip the comparison at $274 vs $215, with San Martin de los Andes cheaper for home cooking.

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

San Martin de los Andes is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,712 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $738 in Phuket versus $438 in San Martin de los Andes. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $561 in Phuket versus $322 in San Martin de los Andes. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Martin de los Andes – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,141 in San Martin de los Andes versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Martin de los Andes but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Martin de los Andes the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Martin de los Andes 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 Martin de los Andes 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 Martin de los Andes gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.