Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and San Pedro, Philippines

For one person, living is cheaper in San Pedro: $707 a month against $1,294 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $7,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
San Pedro, Philippines
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
San Pedro
🇵🇭 Philippines
$707
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in San Pedro

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 Pedro actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $707 in San Pedro.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • San Pedro $707

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $1,074 in San Pedro.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • San Pedro $1,074

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $1,442 in San Pedro.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • San Pedro $1,442

Living in Phuket is roughly 83% more expensive than in San Pedro, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 4% lower, San Pedro 48% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
San Pedro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿148
$3.81 ₱242
15.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,086
$16.66 ₱1,059
93.94%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿293
$2.79 ₱177
211.83%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.6
$1.76 ₱112
54.55%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.28
$0.55 ₱34.86
69.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.79
$0.31 ₱19.70
61.29%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿85.1
$1.02 ₱64.9
148.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿122
$1.57 ₱100
131.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
San Pedro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.5
$1.63 ₱104
6.75%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.77
$1.09 ₱69.4
33.03%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.5
$1.01 ₱64.4
48.51%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿73.0
$1.96 ₱125
10.71%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿642
$4.83 ₱307
295.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿114
$3.41 ₱217
-0.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿366
$6.77 ₱431
61.00%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.9
$2.24 ₱142
31.25%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.9
$1.57 ₱99.9
7.64%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.8
$2.26 ₱144
-3.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.4
$1.06 ₱67.2
100.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿49.03
$1.63 ₱104
-10.43%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.99
$1.77 ₱113
-22.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿36.17
$0.94 ₱59.6
14.89%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.34
$0.51 ₱32.49
7.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿149
$2.90 ₱185
52.76%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿614
$8.69 ₱553
110.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.6
$0.91 ₱57.8
94.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.8
$1.98 ₱126
45.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
San Pedro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.66
$0.24 ₱15.29
504.17%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,845
$12.33 ₱784
345.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.9
$0.72 ₱46.09
109.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿26.08
$0.20 ₱12.73
290.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿129
$1.84 ₱117
108.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿50.0
$1.18 ₱75.3
26.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿903.7K
$21.0K ₱1.3M
28.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿885.7K
$19.0K ₱1.2M
38.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
San Pedro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,288
$121 ₱7,665
-18.87%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿380
$15.83 ₱1,006
-28.68%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿578
$23.27 ₱1,479
-26.13%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
San Pedro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,297
$31.50 ₱2,003
116.92%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿367
$5.10 ₱324
114.12%
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿250
$5.17 ₱329
43.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
San Pedro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.8K
$130 ₱8,269
307.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿631.4K
$8,736 ₱555.4K
114.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
San Pedro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,073
$28.24 ₱1,796
118.38%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿950
$19.23 ₱1,222
46.91%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,228
$71.6 ₱4,551
34.12%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,919
$55.6 ₱3,536
56.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
San Pedro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.2K
$252 ₱16.0K
186.10%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.1K
$170 ₱10.8K
200.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.6K
$484 ₱30.8K
302.92%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿47.0K
$350 ₱22.3K
299.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿140.9K
$2,591 ₱164.8K
61.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.9K
$1,089 ₱69.2K
202.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
San Pedro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.5K
$125 ₱7,951
293.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
6.75
-17.48%

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for San Pedro: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
San Pedro
$170 66.7% $339
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
San Pedro
$170 36.2% $97
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
San Pedro
$160 26.4% $33
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
San Pedro
$79 36% $44
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
San Pedro
$72 40% $48
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
San Pedro
$42 49.7% $41
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
San Pedro
$15 77.3% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $252 in San Pedro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays about 3.9 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $17 in San Pedro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $170 per month, with San Pedro cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇵🇭 San Pedro
🕒 Local time
06:35 6:35 AM
07:35 7:35 AM
1 h ahead of Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
326,001
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 33.62 THB (100 THB = 2.97 USD). 1 EUR = 37.85 THB (100 THB = 2.64 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 63.58 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.57 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket San Pedro 2,570 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • San Pedro

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 Pedro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is San Pedro cheaper than Phuket?
San Pedro is about 45% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or San Pedro?
Average pay in Phuket is about 3.9 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and San Pedro?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $252 in San Pedro. 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 $130 in San Pedro. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in San Pedro?
Supermarket bills run roughly 57% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in San Pedro?
At $707 in San Pedro versus $1,294 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Pedro but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Pedro the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in San Pedro?
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 Pedro?
Safety-wise, Phuket and San Pedro are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find San Pedro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Phuket vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?