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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $899 in San Rafael.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,427 in San Rafael.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,955 in San Rafael.

Living in Phuket is roughly 41% more expensive than San Rafael, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, San Rafael 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿154

$10.06 ARS 14.5K

-53.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,483

$19.79 ARS 28.5K

129.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿276

$6.10 ARS 8,777

38.20%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.7

$1.83 ARS 2,637

60.11%

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

$0.69 ฿22.42

$1.02 ARS 1,466

-32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.00

$1.03 ARS 1,478

-64.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$0.98 ARS 1,415

145.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$1.47 ARS 2,115

153.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿73.0

$1.05 ARS 1,507

112.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.9

$1.49 ARS 2,137

22.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.9

$1.38 ARS 1,990

57.25%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.4

$1.58 ARS 2,268

39.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$5.64 ARS 8,115

250.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$7.62 ARS 11.0K

-52.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$6.45 ARS 9,282

109.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$1.79 ARS 2,570

83.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.7

$1.47 ARS 2,109

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.7

$1.51 ARS 2,174

59.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$0.85 ARS 1,228

144.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.97

$0.65 ARS 930

135.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.41

$0.71 ARS 1,027

108.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.32

$0.61 ARS 876

62.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.68

$1.24 ARS 1,778

-58.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$1.74 ARS 2,499

153.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿634

$4.96 ARS 7,129

290.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.08 ARS 1,547

64.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.7

$1.66 ARS 2,393

63.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.83

$0.78 ARS 1,115

75.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.7

$0.41 ARS 590

636.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.51

$0.98 ARS 1,415

1.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$4.94 ARS 7,110

185.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.55

$0.90 ARS 1,297

51.11%

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

$28.2K ฿921.9K

$31.8K ARS 45.8M

-11.34%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$33.4K ARS 48.1M

-1.60%

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

$122 ฿3,978

$76.9 ARS 110.6K

58.24%

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

$13.57 ฿444

$6.92 ARS 9,957

96.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿599

$15.55 ARS 22.4K

17.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,969

$25.95 ARS 37.3K

132.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$13.87 ARS 20.0K

23.58%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$5.88 ARS 8,454

47.79%

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

$693 ฿22.7K

$104 ARS 150.0K

565.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.8K

$2,181 ARS 3.1M

619.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,946

$83.2 ARS 119.7K

-28.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,137

$76.4 ARS 109.8K

-54.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,746

$149 ARS 214.2K

-23.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,723

$118 ARS 169.9K

-29.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$338 ARS 486.1K

81.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$242 ARS 347.6K

80.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.5K

$693 ARS 997.3K

202.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$531 ARS 763.6K

184.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.6K

$2,059 ARS 3.0M

82.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $338 in San Rafael. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $20.00 in San Rafael for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 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 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,898 in Phuket and $1,349 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: $613 in Phuket versus $338 in San Rafael. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $104 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 $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $899 in San Rafael versus $1,265 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 41% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.