Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Santa Clarita, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,278 a month against $3,884 in Santa Clarita, CA, rent and utilities included – about $31,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

62

Cost of Living Index in Phuket
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Phuket Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Santa Clarita, CA
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Santa Clarita, CA Living Index

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Phuket

🇹🇭 Thailand

$1,278

/mo nomad

Santa Clarita, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,884

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Santa Clarita, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Santa Clarita, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,278 in Phuket versus $3,884 in Santa Clarita, CA.

Phuket $1,278
Santa Clarita, CA $3,884

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,216 in Phuket versus $5,163 in Santa Clarita, CA.

Phuket $2,216
Santa Clarita, CA $5,163

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,154 in Phuket versus $6,442 in Santa Clarita, CA.

Phuket $3,154
Santa Clarita, CA $6,442

Living in Phuket costs roughly 67% less than in Santa Clarita, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Santa Clarita, CA is 185% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.47 ฿151

$19.90 $19.90

-77.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.41 ฿1,094

$98.1 $98.1

-66.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.81 ฿297

$15.17 $15.17

-41.92%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ฿95.4

$6.16 $6.16

-54.06%

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

$0.87 ฿29.42

$3.58 $3.58

-75.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.66

$2.97 $2.97

-83.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿86.3

$7.80 $7.80

-67.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿124

$8.78 $8.78

-58.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿56.0

$1.13 $1.13

46.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.46 ฿49.32

$4.07 $4.07

-64.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$4.98 $4.98

-69.88%

Eggs

$2.09 ฿70.5

$4.95 $4.95

-57.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.07 ฿643

$19.52 $19.52

-2.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 ฿111

$8.07 $8.07

-59.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.91 ฿368

$16.68 $16.68

-34.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿98.9

$6.51 $6.51

-54.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿57.0

$1.96 $1.96

-13.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$3.08 $3.08

-26.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿70.1

$2.95 $2.95

-29.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.51 ฿51.0

$8.86 $8.86

-82.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ฿46.54

$4.69 $4.69

-70.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 ฿35.97

$3.49 $3.49

-69.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.51

$2.69 $2.69

-80.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ฿142

$11.89 $11.89

-64.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿634

$16.03 $16.03

17.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿61.5

$1.71 $1.71

6.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿95.9

$4.40 $4.40

-35.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.45 ฿49.00

$2.48 $2.48

-41.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.7 ฿1,912

$27.34 $27.34

107.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿102

$2.82 $2.82

7.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.34

$2.47 $2.47

-58.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 ฿125

$60.4 $60.4

-93.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 ฿49.78

$1.27 $1.27

15.75%

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

$26.8K ฿903.7K

$23.0K $23.0K

16.52%

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

$26.7K ฿900.8K

$26.3K $26.3K

1.65%

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

$96.4 ฿3,252

$223 $223

-56.74%

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

$11.26 ฿380

$55.6 $55.6

-79.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.85 ฿569

$72.3 $72.3

-76.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$67.2 ฿2,269

$36.54 $36.54

83.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.73 ฿362

$25.26 $25.26

-57.52%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿253

$14.26 $14.26

-47.41%

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

$476 ฿16.1K

$1,451 $1,451

-67.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.3K ฿380.1K

$36.9K $36.9K

-69.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.4 ฿2,105

$73.6 $73.6

-15.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.41 ฿959

$27.31 $27.31

4.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.3 ฿3,182

$73.1 $73.1

29.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,896

$111 $111

-22.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 ฿24.2K

$2,827 $2,827

-74.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$491 ฿16.6K

$2,483 $2,483

-80.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,927 ฿65.0K

$3,861 $3,861

-50.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,431 ฿48.3K

$3,261 $3,261

-56.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,175 ฿140.9K

$3,653 $3,653

14.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,045 ฿102.8K

$4,227 $4,227

-27.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 ฿17.0K

$5,249 $5,249

-90.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

6.49

-14.18%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 26, 2026

Last update for Santa Clarita, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Phuket

$491 38.4%

Santa Clarita, CA

$2.5K 63.9% 406% $2K

Groceries & Markets

Phuket

$266 20.8%

Santa Clarita, CA

$444 11.4% 66.6% $177

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Phuket

$124 9.7%

Santa Clarita, CA

$351 9% 182% $226

Clothing & Footwear

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Santa Clarita, CA

$128 3.3% 5.2% $6.4

Eating Out

Phuket

$122 9.5%

Santa Clarita, CA

$361 9.3% 197% $240

Sport & Entertainment

Phuket

$82 6.4%

Santa Clarita, CA

$65 1.7% 20.9% $17

Getting Around

Phuket

$71 5.5%

Santa Clarita, CA

$52 1.4% 25.7% $18

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Phuket and $2,827 in Santa Clarita, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Clarita, CA pays about 10 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $98 in Santa Clarita, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $266 vs $444 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Phuket

🇺🇸 Santa Clarita, CA

🕒 Local time

17:08 5:08 PM

02:08 2:08 AM

15 h behind Phuket

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

79,308

182,371

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.96 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 33.75 THB (100 THB = 2.96 USD). 1 EUR = 37.66 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Phuket Santa Clarita, CA 13,920 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Phuket
Santa Clarita, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Clarita, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is about 67% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, groceries, and utilities. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $716 in Phuket versus $2,827 in Santa Clarita, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $476 in Phuket versus $1,451 in Santa Clarita, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Santa Clarita, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,278 in Phuket versus $3,884 in Santa Clarita, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Santa Clarita, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Santa Clarita, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Santa Clarita, CA are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Santa Clarita, CA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.