😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,025 in Sannicolau Mare.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $1,554 in Sannicolau Mare.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $2,083 in Sannicolau Mare.
😐Living in Phuket is roughly 20% more expensive than Sannicolau Mare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket8% lower, Sannicolau Mare23% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$9.37RON 40.87
-50.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$45.71RON 199
2.47%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$6.72RON 29.28
31.55%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$3.21RON 13.98
-6.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$1.97RON 8.60
-62.44%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$1.70RON 7.42
-78.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$2.74RON 11.96
-10.95%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$3.46RON 15.09
4.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.51RON 6.57
49.67%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.22RON 5.32
50.82%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.58RON 6.91
41.77%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$3.22RON 14.04
-27.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$8.20RON 35.77
139.88%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$6.00RON 26.17
-39.17%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$8.69RON 37.89
50.75%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$1.17RON 5.11
189.74%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.58RON 6.88
3.80%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.67RON 7.27
44.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$2.15RON 9.38
-5.58%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$0.75RON 3.29
108.00%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$0.87RON 3.80
72.41%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.01RON 4.42
0.99%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.92RON 4.01
-46.74%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$5.85RON 25.50
-23.93%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$7.85RON 34.21
140.51%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$0.98RON 4.27
81.63%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$1.84RON 8.01
49.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$0.71RON 3.08
97.18%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$19.92RON 86.8
-42.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$0.96RON 4.18
225.00%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$0.87RON 3.81
14.94%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$9.40RON 40.99
49.89%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.64RON 7.16
-17.68%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$27.5KRON 119.8K
-1.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$26.0KRON 113.4K
26.60%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$140RON 610
-10.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$8.69RON 37.87
56.16%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$11.32RON 49.34
63.60%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$41.36RON 180
48.65%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$18.97RON 82.7
-11.23%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$6.79RON 29.58
35.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$438RON 1,908
59.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$6,865RON 29.9K
127.13%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$69.0RON 301
-16.29%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$37.53RON 164
-6.10%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$85.0RON 371
33.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$93.0RON 406
-7.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$395RON 1,724
55.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$289RON 1,262
54.13%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$587RON 2,561
248.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$436RON 1,902
241.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$1,662RON 7,248
127.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$1,231RON 5,367
115.16%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.5
-18.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Sannicolau Mare: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $395 in Sannicolau Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $46.00 in Sannicolau Mare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $203 per month, with Sannicolau Mare 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 Sannicolau Mare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sannicolau Mare cheaper than Phuket?
Sannicolau Mare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,847 in Phuket and $1,538 in Sannicolau Mare 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.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Sannicolau Mare?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $395 in Sannicolau Mare. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $438 in Sannicolau Mare. 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 Sannicolau Mare?
Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Phuket or Sannicolau Mare?
At $1,025 in Sannicolau Mare versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sannicolau Mare but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sannicolau Mare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Sannicolau Mare more family-friendly?
For families, Sannicolau Mare 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.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Sannicolau Mare?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Sannicolau Mare are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Sannicolau Mare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.