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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Phuket versus $878 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,429 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,306 in Phuket versus $1,981 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Phuket is roughly 42% more expensive than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 7% lower, Santa Cruz 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.59 ฿147

$7.66 JMD 1,213

-40.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.83 ฿1,500

$62.0 JMD 9,819

-24.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.70 ฿279

$8.89 JMD 1,407

-2.14%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ฿93.7

$4.39 JMD 695

-33.49%

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

$0.68 ฿21.90

$1.31 JMD 207

-48.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿12.69

$0.76 JMD 120

-47.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿80.3

$2.56 JMD 405

-1.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 ฿122

$3.15 JMD 498

20.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ฿69.2

$4.44 JMD 703

-51.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.88 ฿60.3

$3.62 JMD 573

-48.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.16 ฿69.1

$1.55 JMD 246

39.35%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿71.1

$3.48 JMD 550

-36.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.57 ฿627

$10.91 JMD 1,727

79.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.80 ฿122

$6.50 JMD 1,029

-41.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ฿430

$7.69 JMD 1,216

74.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.26 ฿104

$5.99 JMD 948

-45.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.6

$3.15 JMD 499

-48.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 ฿73.9

$4.31 JMD 682

-46.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 ฿65.9

$2.96 JMD 468

-30.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.61 ฿51.4

$2.10 JMD 332

-23.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 ฿46.23

$2.02 JMD 320

-28.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿32.99

$3.09 JMD 490

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.38

$1.50 JMD 237

-68.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.50 ฿144

$8.68 JMD 1,374

-48.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.18 ฿614

$11.38 JMD 1,801

68.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿58.4

$2.88 JMD 455

-36.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 ฿86.2

$3.22 JMD 510

-16.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.38 ฿44.13

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.76 ฿377

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿99.5

$1.12 JMD 177

177.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.16

$3.27 JMD 517

-69.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.74 ฿440

$6.12 JMD 968

124.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ฿41.58

$1.23 JMD 194

5.69%

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

$27.4K ฿876.5K

$43.5K JMD 6.9M

-37.05%

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

$33.0K ฿1.1M

$33.3K JMD 5.3M

-0.82%

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

$125 ฿4,001

$161 JMD 25.5K

-22.51%

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

$13.74 ฿440

$21.96 JMD 3,476

-37.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 ฿596

$51.8 JMD 8,200

-64.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.6 ฿1,940

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.15 ฿549

Cinema Ticket

$9.01 ฿289

$12.91 JMD 2,043

-30.21%

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

$698 ฿22.4K

$225 JMD 35.6K

210.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.1K ฿516.2K

$2,521 JMD 398.9K

539.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.2 ฿1,897

$26.24 JMD 4,153

125.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.86 ฿1,117

$25.28 JMD 4,001

37.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 ฿3,659

$70.6 JMD 11.2K

61.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$85.8 ฿2,749

$76.9 JMD 12.2K

11.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿19.8K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 ฿66.5K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿48.4K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,764 ฿120.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,694 ฿86.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$528 ฿16.9K

$401 JMD 63.4K

31.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

9.15

-41.75%

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

Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $0 in Santa Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 32% 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 in Phuket vs $62 in Santa Cruz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $354 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

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 Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Cruz is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 32% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $698 in Phuket versus $225 in Santa Cruz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Cruz – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $878 in Santa Cruz versus $1,247 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Phuket and Santa Cruz are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Santa Cruz gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.