Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Santa Ana Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Santa Ana

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $796 in Santa Ana.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $1,242 in Santa Ana.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $1,688 in Santa Ana.

Living in Phuket is roughly 59% more expensive than Santa Ana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Santa Ana 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$2.48 $2.48

89.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$18.11 $18.11

150.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$4.89 $4.89

72.39%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$1.96 $1.96

49.49%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$0.68 $0.68

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$0.58 $0.58

-36.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.06 $2.06

16.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$2.54 $2.54

46.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.89 $1.89

17.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$1.97 $1.97

-7.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$1.50 $1.50

44.67%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$2.80 $2.80

-21.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$6.85 $6.85

188.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$6.57 $6.57

-44.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$10.71 $10.71

26.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$3.12 $3.12

5.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.74 $1.74

-7.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$2.64 $2.64

-8.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$2.73 $2.73

-23.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.18 $2.18

-29.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.18 $2.18

-32.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$0.94 $0.94

5.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$1.06 $1.06

-51.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$4.09 $4.09

7.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$10.92 $10.92

77.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.72 $1.72

3.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$2.49 $2.49

8.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$0.29 $0.29

372.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$5.34 $5.34

-43.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$2.96 $2.96

-66.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$20.27 $20.27

-30.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.01 $1.01

34.65%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$23.2K $23.2K

21.34%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$28.0K $28.0K

17.67%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$39.54 $39.54

207.79%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$18.82 $18.82

-27.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$39.23 $39.23

-53.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$35.29 $35.29

70.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$4.93 $4.93

76.27%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$145 $145

378.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$5,937 $5,937

164.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$65.9 $65.9

-9.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$42.58 $42.58

-18.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$115 $115

0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$105 $105

-20.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$301 $301

103.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$150 $150

190.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$504 $504

315.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$294 $294

413.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$450 $450

12.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

8.58

-37.88%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Santa Ana: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $301 in Santa Ana. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 13% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Phuket vs $18.00 in Santa Ana for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $254 per month, with Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Ana is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 59% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 13% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $301 in Santa Ana. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $145 in Santa Ana. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Ana – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $796 in Santa Ana versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Ana but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Ana the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.