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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,609 in San Pedro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $2,115 in San Pedro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,622 in San Pedro.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 22% less than in San Pedro, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, San Pedro is 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$9.52 BZD 19.04

-52.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$30.07 BZD 60.2

53.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$2.97 BZD 5.94

3.03%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.40 BZD 2.80

-47.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$1.56 BZD 3.12

-74.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$2.96 BZD 5.93

-17.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$4.10 BZD 8.20

-7.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$4.02 BZD 8.03

-43.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.38 BZD 2.76

31.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$4.18 BZD 8.36

-46.17%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$2.21 BZD 4.42

1.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$9.97 BZD 19.95

95.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$6.18 BZD 12.36

-40.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$8.45 BZD 16.91

54.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$8.52 BZD 17.03

-62.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.05 BZD 2.09

54.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.06 BZD 2.12

124.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$5.36 BZD 10.72

-62.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.72 BZD 5.43

-43.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$2.95 BZD 5.91

-49.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$3.51 BZD 7.01

-72.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.29 BZD 2.57

-59.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$23.59 BZD 47.19

-22.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$2.38 BZD 4.77

-21.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$3.31 BZD 6.61

-19.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$4.91 BZD 9.82

-78.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$1.56 BZD 3.13

-16.03%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$122 ฿4,120

$174 BZD 348

-29.54%

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$98.1 BZD 196

-80.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$30.16 BZD 60.3

100.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$98.7 BZD 197

16.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$996 BZD 1,993

-37.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$762 BZD 1,524

-41.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$1,050 BZD 2,101

94.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$905 BZD 1,811

64.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$2,647 BZD 5,294

31.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,629 BZD 3,258

58.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Pedro: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $996 in San Pedro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $30.00 in San Pedro. Groceries flip the comparison at $289 vs $355, with Phuket 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 Pedro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $2,413 in San Pedro 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: $626 in Phuket versus $996 in San Pedro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in San Pedro. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $30.00 in San Pedro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,609 in San Pedro, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in San Pedro. 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 Pedro, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and San Pedro 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 29% less than in San Pedro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.