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

🙂 Solo nomad: Phuket is 41.2% cheaper than Santa Cruz, CA without rent, and 70.9% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Phuket is 47.8% cheaper than Santa Cruz, CA without rent, and 57.2% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.68 ฿151

$22.44 $22.44

-79.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.4 ฿1,502

$79.7 $79.7

-41.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿280

$12.36 $12.36

-30.02%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿100

$5.85 $5.85

-47.18%

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

$0.73 ฿23.53

$3.41 $3.41

-78.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$2.54 $2.54

-85.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿77.4

$6.93 $6.93

-65.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 ฿117

$7.46 $7.46

-51.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ฿72.5

$1.43 $1.43

56.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.8 ฿58.2

$5.16 $5.16

-65.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿72.3

$6.65 $6.65

-66.32%

Eggs

$2.23 ฿72.1

$5.96 $5.96

-62.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.31 ฿625

$23.24 $23.24

-16.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ฿122

$14.85 $14.85

-74.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿422

$23.7 $23.7

-44.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿106

$7.05 $7.05

-53.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 ฿52.6

$2.78 $2.78

-41.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.4 ฿77.7

$5.32 $5.32

-54.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.3

$7.49 $7.49

-73.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.62

$3.88 $3.88

-60.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿48.11

$3.93 $3.93

-62.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿32.87

$2.9 $2.9

-64.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.61

$2.86 $2.86

-83.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.32 ฿140

$14.16 $14.16

-69.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.68 ฿702

$12.02 $12.02

80.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿57.3

$2.15 $2.15

-17.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿90.4

$2.67 $2.67

4.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.35 ฿43.74

$2.05 $2.05

-34.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿380

$65.2 $65.2

-81.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 ฿102

$4.09 $4.09

-22.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1 ฿32.3

$1.93 $1.93

-48.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.64 ฿442

$38.9 $38.9

-64.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.3 ฿42.2

$1.24 $1.24

4.84%

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

$27.4K ฿885.2K

$34.9K $34.9K

-21.62%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$26.5K $26.5K

28.15%

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

$123 ฿3,970

$221 $221

-44.44%

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

$13.93 ฿451

$47.05 $47.05

-70.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.24 ฿590

$67.8 $67.8

-73.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.8 ฿1,966

$60.2 $60.2

0.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.11 ฿554

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿294

$17.04 $17.04

-46.77%

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

$694 ฿22.5K

$3,225 $3,225

-78.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿514.4K

$38.5K $38.5K

-58.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.5 ฿1,861

$63.2 $63.2

-8.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.51 ฿1,117

$46.64 $46.64

-26.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,727

$79.3 $79.3

45.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.8 ฿2,743

$115 $115

-26.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 ฿19.8K

$2,893 $2,893

-78.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$442 ฿14.3K

$2,648 $2,648

-83.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,014 ฿65.2K

$5,700 $5,700

-64.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,460 ฿47.2K

$4,219 $4,219

-65.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,244 ฿137.3K

$9,235 $9,235

-54.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,886 ฿93.4K

$8,116 $8,116

-64.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$697 ฿22.5K

$5,594 $5,594

-87.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.36

-16.19%

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, CA: October 27, 2025

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