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

😐 Solo nomad: Phuket is 38.5% more expensive than Santa Cruz without rent, and 49.4% more expensive with rent.
😐 Family of 3: Phuket is 42.8% more expensive than Santa Cruz without rent, and 71.6% more expensive with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Santa Cruz
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.68 ฿151
$2.83 BOB 19.4
65.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.4 ฿1,502
$26.78 BOB 183
73.26%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.65 ฿280
$7.46 BOB 51.1
15.95%
Cappuccino
$3.09 ฿100
$2.72 BOB 18.63
13.60%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73 ฿23.53
$0.76 BOB 5.21
-3.95%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37 ฿11.95
$0.71 BOB 4.83
-47.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.39 ฿77.4
$1.48 BOB 10.16
61.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 ฿117
$1.98 BOB 13.57
82.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Santa Cruz
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.24 ฿72.5
$1.07 BOB 7.35
109.35%
White Bread (500g)
$1.8 ฿58.2
$1.42 BOB 9.73
26.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.24 ฿72.3
$1.33 BOB 9.14
68.42%
Eggs
$2.23 ฿72.1
$1.77 BOB 12.14
25.99%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.31 ฿625
$4.65 BOB 31.86
315.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 ฿122
$4.15 BOB 28.42
-9.16%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.05 ฿422
$6.51 BOB 44.57
100.46%
Apples (1kg)
$3.28 ฿106
$2.64 BOB 18.08
24.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 ฿52.6
$0.91 BOB 6.26
79.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.4 ฿77.7
$1.14 BOB 7.8
110.53%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.99 ฿64.3
$1 BOB 6.88
99.00%
Potato (1kg)
$1.53 ฿49.62
$0.94 BOB 6.43
62.77%
Onion (1kg)
$1.49 ฿48.11
$1.03 BOB 7.04
44.66%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 ฿32.87
$0.79 BOB 5.38
29.11%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 ฿15.61
$1.11 BOB 7.63
-56.76%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.32 ฿140
$2.14 BOB 14.68
101.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.68 ฿702
$7.05 BOB 48.27
207.52%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿57.3
$1.48 BOB 10.12
19.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 ฿90.4
$2.06 BOB 14.08
35.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Santa Cruz
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.35 ฿43.74
$0.3 BOB 2.04
350.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.76 ฿380
$21.71 BOB 149
-45.83%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.15 ฿102
$2.88 BOB 19.74
9.38%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1 ฿32.3
$1.46 BOB 10.01
-31.51%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.64 ฿442
$7.08 BOB 48.49
92.66%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.3 ฿42.2
$0.58 BOB 3.94
124.14%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.4K ฿885.2K
$29.3K BOB 200.6K
-6.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$33.9K ฿1.1M
$27.8K BOB 190.7K
21.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Santa Cruz
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$123 ฿3,970
$54.2 BOB 371
126.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.93 ฿451
$22.31 BOB 153
-37.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.24 ฿590
$32.84 BOB 225
-44.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Santa Cruz
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$60.8 ฿1,966
$32.3 BOB 221
88.08%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.11 ฿554
$21.34 BOB 146
-19.82%
Cinema Ticket
$9.07 ฿294
$7.13 BOB 48.81
27.21%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Santa Cruz
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$694 ฿22.5K
$202 BOB 1,384
243.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.9K ฿514.4K
$4,227 BOB 29K
276.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Santa Cruz
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.5 ฿1,861
$43.42 BOB 297
32.45%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.51 ฿1,117
$48.74 BOB 334
-29.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$115 ฿3,727
$84.9 BOB 582
35.58%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$84.8 ฿2,743
$61.7 BOB 423
37.35%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Santa Cruz
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$611 ฿19.8K
$402 BOB 2,757
51.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$442 ฿14.3K
$260 BOB 1,778
70.40%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,014 ฿65.2K
$759 BOB 5,200
165.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,460 ฿47.2K
$651 BOB 4,462
124.07%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,244 ฿137.3K
$1,375 BOB 9,421
208.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,886 ฿93.4K
$1,667 BOB 11.4K
73.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Santa Cruz
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$697 ฿22.5K
$401 BOB 2,750
73.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.33
6.67
-20.09%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 29, 2025

Last update for Santa Cruz: October 28, 2025

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