🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,606 in Santa Anna, TX.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $3,792 in Santa Anna, TX.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $4,978 in Santa Anna, TX.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 53% less than in Santa Anna, TX, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Santa Anna, TX is 95% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Santa Anna, TX
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$18.64$18.64
-75.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$74.6$74.6
-37.23%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$10.80$10.80
-18.15%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$4.98$4.98
-39.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$2.57$2.57
-71.21%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$2.06$2.06
-82.04%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$6.17$6.17
-60.45%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$7.16$7.16
-49.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Santa Anna, TX
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$0.99$0.99
128.28%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$3.50$3.50
-47.43%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$4.43$4.43
-49.44%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$4.25$4.25
-45.41%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$12.22$12.22
60.97%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$11.65$11.65
-68.67%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$15.42$15.42
-15.05%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$4.87$4.87
-30.39%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.64$1.64
-
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$4.14$4.14
-41.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$4.65$4.65
-56.34%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$2.77$2.77
-43.68%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$2.87$2.87
-47.74%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$2.04$2.04
-50.00%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$2.17$2.17
-77.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$9.65$9.65
-53.89%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$15.13$15.13
24.79%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.86$1.86
-4.30%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$3.41$3.41
-19.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Santa Anna, TX
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$2.04$2.04
-31.37%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$3.51$3.51
-11.11%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$1.59$1.59
-37.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$29.35$29.35
-51.99%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$0.84$0.84
60.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$29.4K$29.4K
-7.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$25.2K$25.2K
30.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Santa Anna, TX
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$190$190
-34.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$53.3$53.3
-74.55%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$69.1$69.1
-73.19%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Santa Anna, TX
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$43.44$43.44
41.53%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$13.69$13.69
-32.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Santa Anna, TX
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$1,310$1,310
-46.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$23.1K$23.1K
-32.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Santa Anna, TX
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$50.1$50.1
15.27%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$40.27$40.27
-12.49%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$88.1$88.1
28.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$112$112
-22.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Santa Anna, TX
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$1,623$1,623
-62.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$1,371$1,371
-67.48%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$2,635$2,635
-22.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$2,262$2,262
-34.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$3,007$3,007
25.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$2,550$2,550
3.85%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Santa Anna, TX
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
6.51
-18.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Last update for Santa Anna, TX: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $1,623 in Santa Anna, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $75.0 in Santa Anna, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $389 per month, with Phuket 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 Anna, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Santa Anna, TX cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 112% 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 $3,909 in Santa Anna, TX 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 Santa Anna, TX?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $1,623 in Santa Anna, TX. 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 $1,310 in Santa Anna, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or Santa Anna, TX?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $75.0 in Santa Anna, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Santa Anna, TX?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $2,606 in Santa Anna, TX, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Santa Anna, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Santa Anna, TX more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Santa Anna, TX, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Santa Anna, TX?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Santa Anna, TX 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Santa Anna, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.