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: $1,261 in Phuket versus $868 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,276 in Phuket versus $1,448 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,291 in Phuket versus $2,027 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Phuket is roughly 45% more expensive than in Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Santa Cruz 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.53 ฿152

$7.44 JMD 1,172

-39.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.36 ฿1,558

$63.3 JMD 9,961

-26.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.65 ฿291

$8.76 JMD 1,379

-1.26%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ฿104

$4.35 JMD 685

-28.97%

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

$0.68 ฿22.79

$1.35 JMD 213

-49.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.38

$0.71 JMD 112

-47.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ฿81.2

$2.44 JMD 384

-0.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.81 ฿128

$3.16 JMD 498

20.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$4.44 JMD 699

-50.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿61.1

$3.61 JMD 569

-49.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.2

$1.58 JMD 248

37.97%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿75.1

$3.58 JMD 564

-37.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.93 ฿670

$10.92 JMD 1,719

82.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 ฿122

$6.53 JMD 1,029

-44.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿456

$7.57 JMD 1,192

79.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.29 ฿111

$5.93 JMD 934

-44.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ฿56.6

$3.01 JMD 474

-43.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.4

$4.14 JMD 653

-43.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$3.01 JMD 475

-32.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿53.8

$2.09 JMD 330

-23.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ฿50.2

$1.99 JMD 314

-25.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿34.02

$2.97 JMD 468

-65.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.02

$1.48 JMD 233

-67.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿150

$8.88 JMD 1,398

-49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.63 ฿626

$11.15 JMD 1,756

67.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿60.0

$2.87 JMD 452

-37.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ฿94.0

$3.10 JMD 488

-9.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.69

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.33 ฿381

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 ฿104

$1.11 JMD 175

178.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.03

$3.09 JMD 487

-66.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.63 ฿458

$6.36 JMD 1,001

114.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.03

$1.23 JMD 194

6.50%

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

$27.3K ฿916.6K

$42.8K JMD 6.7M

-36.30%

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$33.4K JMD 5.3M

-0.56%

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

$123 ฿4,138

$161 JMD 25.4K

-23.64%

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

$13.81 ฿464

$21.95 JMD 3,457

-37.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿622

$51.8 JMD 8,162

-64.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ฿2,028

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.80 ฿564

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿299

$13.26 JMD 2,087

-32.96%

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

$687 ฿23.1K

$227 JMD 35.7K

202.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿522.5K

$2,505 JMD 394.4K

520.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 ฿1,936

$25.76 JMD 4,057

123.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.66 ฿1,165

$25.96 JMD 4,087

33.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,861

$70.2 JMD 11.1K

63.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.9 ฿2,853

$76.2 JMD 12.0K

11.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$618 ฿20.7K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 ฿14.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,047 ฿68.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,506 ฿50.6K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,568 ฿119.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,511 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$503 ฿16.9K

$401 JMD 63.1K

25.51%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 26% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $63.0 in Santa Cruz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $351 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 45% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $687 in Phuket versus $227 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 $63.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $868 in Santa Cruz versus $1,261 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 45% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.