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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $927 in San Miguelito.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $1,471 in San Miguelito.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,015 in San Miguelito.

Living in Phuket is roughly 37% more expensive than in San Miguelito, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, San Miguelito 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$9.94 PAB 9.94

-53.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$45.13 PAB 45.13

-28.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$8.10 PAB 8.10

7.16%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$4.06 PAB 4.06

-28.57%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.96 PAB 1.96

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$1.50 PAB 1.50

-67.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.93 PAB 2.93

-15.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.95 PAB 3.95

-5.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$1.92 PAB 1.92

-1.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$2.37 PAB 2.37

-40.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$3.09 PAB 3.09

-47.57%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$2.78 PAB 2.78

-19.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$12.51 PAB 12.51

58.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.57 PAB 6.57

-47.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.11 PAB 10.11

12.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$4.46 PAB 4.46

-34.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$1.75 PAB 1.75

-1.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$3.92 PAB 3.92

-42.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$3.88 PAB 3.88

-45.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$3.20 PAB 3.20

-54.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$4.29 PAB 4.29

-66.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$2.25 PAB 2.25

-51.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.77 PAB 1.77

-66.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$5.85 PAB 5.85

-26.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$10.91 PAB 10.91

70.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$1.41 PAB 1.41

27.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$2.74 PAB 2.74

8.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$2.55 PAB 2.55

21.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$1.78 PAB 1.78

-39.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$22.10 PAB 22.10

-82.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.17 PAB 1.17

22.22%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$21.7K PAB 21.7K

28.14%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$21.0K PAB 21.0K

28.53%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$130 PAB 130

-19.67%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$29.22 PAB 29.22

-61.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$48.96 PAB 48.96

-64.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$49.16 PAB 49.16

10.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$8.23 PAB 8.23

-5.47%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$541 PAB 541

6.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$9,516 PAB 9,516

21.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$58.9 PAB 58.9

8.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$46.39 PAB 46.39

-37.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$95.4 PAB 95.4

0.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$117 PAB 117

-23.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.39

-12.83%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for San Miguelito: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $45.00 in San Miguelito for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $318 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 Miguelito: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Miguelito is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 37% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,390 in San Miguelito 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 $576 in Phuket versus $541 in San Miguelito. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Miguelito – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $927 in San Miguelito versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Miguelito but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Miguelito the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Miguelito 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 Miguelito 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 Miguelito gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.