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

🙂 Solo nomad: Phuket is 28.8% cheaper than Santa Cruz without rent, and 22.7% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Phuket is 15% cheaper than Santa Cruz without rent, and 4.8% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿142

$10.72 ₡5,316

-57.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.08 ฿1,449

$60.6 ₡30.0K

-23.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.78 ฿276

$9.93 ₡4,923

-11.58%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿97.0

$3.85 ₡1,910

-19.74%

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

$0.70 ฿21.97

$1.98 ₡981

-64.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.46

$1.60 ₡792

-75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 ฿75.5

$3.00 ₡1,487

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.68 ฿116

$4.56 ₡2,263

-19.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 ฿70.6

$1.96 ₡973

14.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 ฿58.8

$2.91 ₡1,443

-35.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 ฿69.8

$2.14 ₡1,061

3.74%

Eggs

$2.23 ฿70.1

$2.91 ₡1,441

-23.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.68 ฿619

$9.94 ₡4,928

97.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿115

$8.98 ₡4,451

-59.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.09 ฿411

$13.40 ₡6,642

-2.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.38 ฿106

$4.62 ₡2,291

-26.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿53.3

$1.00 ₡497

69.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿73.2

$4.37 ₡2,168

-46.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 ฿62.4

$3.47 ₡1,723

-42.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿48.77

$3.52 ₡1,743

-55.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 ฿47.42

$3.22 ₡1,596

-53.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿30.84

$0.96 ₡475

2.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.01

$2.95 ₡1,463

-83.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿137

$5.25 ₡2,605

-17.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.65 ฿649

$18.01 ₡8,929

14.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 ฿55.8

$2.40 ₡1,192

-26.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿86.6

$2.91 ₡1,442

-5.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿43.19

$1.03 ₡508

33.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿357

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿97.8

$1.86 ₡921

67.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿32.96

$1.78 ₡884

-41.01%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.72 ฿431

$8.09 ₡4,010

69.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿42.16

$1.39 ₡691

-3.60%

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

$27.7K ฿869.6K

$37.3K ₡18.5M

-25.92%

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

$33.6K ฿1.1M

$32.2K ₡16.0M

4.21%

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

$122 ฿3,835

$94.4 ₡46.8K

29.16%

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

$13.61 ฿428

$25.54 ₡12.7K

-46.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.49 ฿581

$54.2 ₡26.9K

-65.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.7 ฿1,939

$56.8 ₡28.2K

8.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.70 ฿525

$23.84 ₡11.8K

-29.95%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 ฿286

$6.14 ₡3,045

48.05%

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

$702 ฿22.1K

$558 ₡276.9K

25.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K ฿502.8K

$12.8K ₡6.4M

24.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ฿1,851

$63.1 ₡31.3K

-6.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.41 ฿1,082

$50.9 ₡25.2K

-32.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,545

$125 ₡62.1K

-10.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.7 ฿2,662

$107 ₡53.1K

-20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$606 ฿19.1K

$767 ₡380.4K

-21.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$435 ฿13.7K

$604 ₡299.3K

-27.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,069 ฿65.0K

$1,541 ₡764.1K

34.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,473 ฿46.3K

$970 ₡480.9K

51.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,445 ฿139.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,988 ฿93.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$547 ฿17.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

10.17

-47.59%

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

Last update for Phuket: January 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: 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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