🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,654 in Santa Cruz de La Palma.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Phuket versus $2,384 in Santa Cruz de La Palma.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,279 in Phuket versus $3,114 in Santa Cruz de La Palma.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 26% less than in Santa Cruz de La Palma, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, Santa Cruz de La Palma is 24% above.
Moneda
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Santa Cruz de La Palma
Diferencia
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.63฿151
$15.14€12.96
-69.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$46.84฿1,532
$56.9€48.72
-17.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.84฿289
$10.36€8.87
-14.67%
Cappuccino
$3.00฿98.0
$2.16€1.85
38.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74฿24.25
$2.44€2.09
-69.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿11.95
$1.64€1.41
-77.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.8
$3.49€2.99
-30.09%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.61฿118
$3.41€2.92
5.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Santa Cruz de La Palma
Diferencia
Milk(1 liter)
$2.26฿73.9
$1.22€1.04
85.25%
White Bread(500g)
$1.84฿60.1
$1.45€1.24
26.90%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.24฿73.4
$1.61€1.38
39.13%
Eggs
$2.32฿75.7
$2.92€2.50
-20.55%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.67฿643
$13.36€11.43
47.23%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.65฿119
$8.62€7.38
-57.66%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.10฿428
$15.17€12.98
-13.65%
Apples(1kg)
$3.39฿111
$2.47€2.11
37.25%
Banana(1kg)
$1.64฿53.7
$1.97€1.69
-16.75%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿79.0
$1.91€1.64
26.18%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.03฿66.4
$2.64€2.26
-23.11%
Potato(1kg)
$1.56฿50.9
$1.80€1.54
-13.33%
Onion(1kg)
$1.50฿48.94
$1.91€1.64
-21.47%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.02฿33.50
$1.35€1.16
-24.44%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49฿16.00
$0.74€0.63
-33.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.45฿145
$6.16€5.27
-27.76%
Wine(Bottle)
$18.88฿617
$5.65€4.84
234.16%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.21€1.04
47.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿90.1
$2.04€1.74
34.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Santa Cruz de La Palma
Diferencia
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.40฿45.81
$1.66€1.42
-15.66%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.48฿376
$33.53€28.70
-65.76%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.12฿102
$4.15€3.55
-24.82%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.00฿32.67
$1.26€1.08
-20.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.09฿461
$24.31€20.81
-42.04%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.35฿44.19
$1.74€1.49
-22.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.2K฿888.9K
$38.9K€33.3K
-30.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$30.4K€26.1K
8.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Santa Cruz de La Palma
Diferencia
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$125฿4,087
$135€115
-7.17%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$20.77€17.78
-34.67%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.52฿606
$31.65€27.09
-41.48%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Santa Cruz de La Palma
Diferencia
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$61.5฿2,010
$47.34€40.52
29.87%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.84฿551
$15.25€13.05
10.43%
Cinema Ticket
$9.19฿300
$9.51€8.14
-3.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Santa Cruz de La Palma
Diferencia
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$698฿22.8K
$407€348
71.51%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6K฿509.9K
$7,598€6,504
105.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Santa Cruz de La Palma
Diferencia
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$57.8฿1,889
$85.9€73.5
-32.72%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.24฿1,152
$36.34€31.11
-3.03%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$113฿3,699
$87.8€75.1
28.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.4฿2,825
$107€91.8
-19.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Santa Cruz de La Palma
Diferencia
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$616฿20.1K
$841€720
-26.76%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$446฿14.6K
$702€601
-36.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,048฿67.0K
$1,340€1,147
52.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,492฿48.8K
$1,002€857
48.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,779฿123.6K
$3,569€3,055
5.88%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,649฿86.6K
$2,385€2,041
11.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Santa Cruz de La Palma
Diferencia
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$524฿17.1K
$1,416€1,212
-63.02%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.5
52.29%
Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.
Última actualización para Phuket: April 27, 2026
Última actualización para Santa Cruz de La Palma: April 25, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $616 in Phuket and $841 in Santa Cruz de La Palma. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Santa Cruz de La Palma pays 170% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
🛒Dining out: $47.00 in Phuket vs $57.0 in Santa Cruz de La Palma. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $264, with Santa Cruz de La Palma cheaper for home cooking.
Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)
El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.
Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales
Phuket vs Santa Cruz de La Palma: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes
Is Santa Cruz de La Palma cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 34% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Santa Cruz de La Palma?
On paper, Santa Cruz de La Palma earns 170% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Santa Cruz de La Palma?
Rent for a central apartment: $616 in Phuket versus $841 in Santa Cruz de La Palma. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $407 in Santa Cruz de La Palma. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Santa Cruz de La Palma?
Shoppers in Santa Cruz de La Palma pay roughly 11% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Santa Cruz de La Palma?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,654 in Santa Cruz de La Palma, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Santa Cruz de La Palma. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Santa Cruz de La Palma more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Santa Cruz de La Palma, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Santa Cruz de La Palma?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Santa Cruz de La Palma are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Santa Cruz de La Palma. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.