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

🙂 Solo nomad: Phuket is 27.4% cheaper than Santa Barbara without rent, and 18.5% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Phuket is 26.3% cheaper than Santa Barbara without rent, and 4.8% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿142

$10.82 ₡5,364

-58.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.08 ฿1,448

$59.5 ₡29.5K

-22.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 ฿276

$10.13 ₡5,025

-13.33%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿97.0

$3.89 ₡1,929

-20.57%

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

$0.70 ฿21.96

$2.00 ₡989

-65.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.46

$1.59 ₡788

-74.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿75.5

$2.95 ₡1,461

-18.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿116

$4.65 ₡2,306

-20.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ฿70.6

$2.06 ₡1,022

9.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 ฿58.8

$2.76 ₡1,368

-32.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ฿69.8

$2.24 ₡1,111

-0.89%

Eggs

$2.23 ฿70.1

$2.92 ₡1,449

-23.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.68 ฿619

$8.96 ₡4,443

119.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿115

$9.29 ₡4,608

-60.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 ฿411

$13.74 ₡6,814

-4.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ฿106

$4.53 ₡2,248

-25.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿53.2

$1.26 ₡622

34.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿73.2

$2.35 ₡1,165

-0.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ฿62.4

$3.44 ₡1,707

-42.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿48.76

$2.95 ₡1,464

-47.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿47.41

$2.90 ₡1,436

-47.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿30.83

$0.73 ₡362

34.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.01

$2.81 ₡1,393

-82.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿137

$5.34 ₡2,648

-18.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.65 ฿649

$12.28 ₡6,088

68.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿55.8

$2.42 ₡1,198

-26.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿86.6

$2.91 ₡1,445

-5.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿43.18

$0.96 ₡474

42.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿97.7

$1.79 ₡885

73.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿32.95

$0.97 ₡479

8.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.72 ฿431

$7.78 ₡3,855

76.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿42.14

$1.41 ₡700

-4.96%

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

$27.7K ฿869.3K

$37.5K ₡18.6M

-26.26%

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

$33.6K ฿1.1M

$32.0K ₡15.9M

4.99%

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

$122 ฿3,834

$68.6 ₡34.0K

77.71%

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

$13.61 ฿428

$25.60 ₡12.7K

-46.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.49 ฿581

$59.2 ₡29.3K

-68.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ฿1,939

$57.1 ₡28.3K

8.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.70 ฿525

$23.89 ₡11.8K

-30.10%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 ฿286

$8.89 ₡4,408

2.25%

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

$702 ฿22.1K

$568 ₡281.4K

23.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K ฿502.6K

$12.8K ₡6.4M

24.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ฿1,851

$61.8 ₡30.6K

-4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.41 ฿1,081

$52.3 ₡25.9K

-34.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,544

$128 ₡63.3K

-11.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.7 ฿2,661

$108 ₡53.7K

-21.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 ฿19.0K

$776 ₡384.5K

-21.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿13.7K

$587 ₡290.9K

-25.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,069 ฿65.0K

$1,502 ₡744.8K

37.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 ฿46.3K

$957 ₡474.3K

53.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,445 ฿139.7K

$1,681 ₡833.2K

164.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,988 ฿93.9K

$1,670 ₡827.9K

78.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$547 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

-40.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: January 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Barbara: January 12, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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