Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sannicolau Mare Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sannicolau Mare

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,034 in Sannicolau Mare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $1,580 in Sannicolau Mare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $2,126 in Sannicolau Mare.

Living in Phuket is roughly 22% more expensive than in Sannicolau Mare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Sannicolau Mare 22% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.48 ฿150
$9.40 RON 42.75
-52.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.59 ฿1,521
$45.56 RON 207
0.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 ฿292
$6.78 RON 30.84
29.20%
Cappuccino
$2.97 ฿99.0
$3.12 RON 14.17
-4.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 ฿22.90
$1.98 RON 8.99
-65.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ฿13.04
$1.71 RON 7.76
-77.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.4
$2.71 RON 12.31
-6.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 ฿125
$3.40 RON 15.45
10.29%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.15 ฿71.6
$1.50 RON 6.82
43.33%
White Bread (500g)
$1.82 ฿60.6
$1.21 RON 5.51
50.41%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.18 ฿72.9
$1.57 RON 7.16
38.85%
Eggs
$2.25 ฿75.0
$3.24 RON 14.74
-30.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.00 ฿667
$8.12 RON 36.90
146.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 ฿121
$6.03 RON 27.43
-39.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.56 ฿452
$8.90 RON 40.49
52.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.24 ฿108
$1.17 RON 5.34
176.92%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 ฿54.6
$1.56 RON 7.10
5.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.33 ฿77.8
$1.65 RON 7.48
41.21%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.07 ฿69.1
$2.15 RON 9.80
-3.72%
Potato (1kg)
$1.55 ฿51.6
$0.77 RON 3.48
101.30%
Onion (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.54
$0.89 RON 4.04
64.04%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 ฿32.86
$1.03 RON 4.67
-4.85%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿16.09
$0.87 RON 3.96
-44.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.35 ฿145
$6.03 RON 27.42
-27.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.57 ฿620
$8.24 RON 37.47
125.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.86 ฿61.9
$1.00 RON 4.53
86.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.65 ฿88.6
$1.79 RON 8.14
48.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.42 ฿47.28
$0.71 RON 3.21
100.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.57 ฿386
$19.58 RON 89.0
-40.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.17 ฿106
$0.94 RON 4.28
237.23%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.03 ฿34.41
$0.83 RON 3.77
24.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.89 ฿463
$9.23 RON 41.97
50.49%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.34 ฿44.84
$1.58 RON 7.19
-15.19%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.8K ฿927.1K
$28.5K RON 129.6K
-2.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.4K ฿1.1M
$25.9K RON 117.6K
29.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ฿4,105
$143 RON 649
-13.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.77 ฿459
$8.59 RON 39.06
60.30%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33 ฿611
$11.44 RON 52.0
60.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.7 ฿2,025
$41.97 RON 191
44.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.16 ฿573
$18.98 RON 86.3
-9.59%
Cinema Ticket
$8.87 ฿296
$7.11 RON 32.31
24.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$688 ฿22.9K
$428 RON 1,946
60.70%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K ฿526.4K
$6,897 RON 31.4K
128.80%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.3 ฿1,978
$68.3 RON 311
-13.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.69 ฿1,157
$37.98 RON 173
-8.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,843
$85.1 RON 387
35.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8 ฿2,794
$94.0 RON 427
-10.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$621 ฿20.7K
$394 RON 1,792
57.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$446 ฿14.9K
$291 RON 1,321
53.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,034 ฿67.8K
$598 RON 2,721
239.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 ฿49.9K
$440 RON 2,000
240.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,455 ฿115.3K
$2,236 RON 10.2K
54.54%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,531 ฿84.4K
$1,290 RON 5,864
96.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Sannicolau Mare
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$494 ฿16.5K
-
-
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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sannicolau Mare: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $394 in Sannicolau Mare. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $46.00 in Phuket vs $46.00 in Sannicolau Mare. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $204, with Sannicolau Mare 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 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 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,896 in Phuket and $1,551 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: $621 in Phuket versus $394 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 $688 in Phuket versus $428 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 in Sannicolau Mare?
Supermarket bills run roughly 43% 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 Sannicolau Mare?
At $1,034 in Sannicolau Mare versus $1,264 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 22% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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