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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $907 in San Rafael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,430 in San Rafael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $1,954 in San Rafael.

Living in Phuket is roughly 38% more expensive than in San Rafael, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, San Rafael 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$9.97 ARS 14.7K

-54.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,554

$19.95 ARS 29.5K

131.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿298

$5.97 ARS 8,817

48.07%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.76 ARS 2,606

73.86%

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

$0.73 ฿24.42

$1.01 ARS 1,494

-27.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.40

$0.97 ARS 1,440

-58.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$0.98 ARS 1,452

147.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.47 ARS 2,177

157.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.02 ARS 1,507

121.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.55 ARS 2,284

16.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$1.43 ARS 2,111

57.34%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.6

$1.58 ARS 2,341

42.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$5.43 ARS 8,031

259.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$7.38 ARS 10.9K

-50.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$6.55 ARS 9,684

99.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$1.76 ARS 2,605

83.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.49 ARS 2,198

8.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.2

$1.47 ARS 2,172

61.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.2

$0.92 ARS 1,356

120.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$0.70 ARS 1,030

118.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$0.69 ARS 1,015

117.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.93

$0.61 ARS 895

60.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.40

$1.28 ARS 1,888

-59.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$1.79 ARS 2,651

148.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$4.90 ARS 7,241

273.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.12 ARS 1,659

66.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.2

$1.65 ARS 2,445

62.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

$0.83 ARS 1,220

69.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

$0.45 ARS 667

591.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

$1.02 ARS 1,511

1.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

$4.78 ARS 7,059

195.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.13

$0.83 ARS 1,228

57.83%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

$31.5K ARS 46.6M

-11.78%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$32.9K ARS 48.6M

1.01%

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

$122 ฿4,120

$77.6 ARS 114.6K

57.86%

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

$13.59 ฿457

$6.57 ARS 9,713

106.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$15.45 ARS 22.8K

21.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

$26.43 ARS 39.1K

128.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

$13.94 ARS 20.6K

21.81%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$5.89 ARS 8,703

53.99%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

$102 ARS 151.2K

590.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

$2,138 ARS 3.2M

639.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,970

$81.1 ARS 119.8K

-27.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

$75.6 ARS 111.7K

-53.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

$149 ARS 219.7K

-22.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,818

$121 ARS 178.2K

-30.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.1K

$338 ARS 499.6K

85.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$236 ARS 348.3K

88.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

$676 ARS 999.0K

201.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$539 ARS 797.1K

176.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

$2,551 ARS 3.8M

36.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,596 ARS 2.4M

61.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-93.25%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $338 in San Rafael. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in San Rafael for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $179 per month, with San Rafael 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 Rafael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Rafael is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,875 in Phuket and $1,360 in San Rafael 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 $338 in San Rafael. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $706 in Phuket versus $102 in San Rafael. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in San Rafael – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $907 in San Rafael versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Rafael but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes San Rafael the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, San Rafael 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 Rafael 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 Rafael gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.