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: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,319 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,089 in Phuket versus $2,032 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,913 in Phuket versus $2,745 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 4% less than in Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 8% lower, Santa Cruz 4% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.66 ฿154

$7.51 JMD 1,180

-37.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 ฿1,065

$62.6 JMD 9,839

-48.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.68 ฿287

$6.53 JMD 1,025

32.92%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿95.8

$5.37 JMD 844

-46.00%

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

$0.84 ฿27.89

$1.25 JMD 196

-32.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.16

$0.68 JMD 107

-27.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 ฿82.0

$2.26 JMD 355

9.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 ฿123

$3.12 JMD 490

19.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.89 ฿62.3

$4.21 JMD 661

-55.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

$2.53 JMD 397

-44.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.62 ฿53.6

$1.62 JMD 254

Eggs

$2.24 ฿74.1

$3.53 JMD 554

-36.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.84 ฿656

$11.47 JMD 1,802

72.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.48 ฿115

$6.35 JMD 998

-45.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.37 ฿376

$10.43 JMD 1,638

9.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

$5.98 JMD 939

-51.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

$3.93 JMD 618

-56.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

$7.46 JMD 1,171

-69.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 ฿70.4

$2.98 JMD 469

-28.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

$3.22 JMD 506

-54.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿46.92

$2.61 JMD 411

-45.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 ฿36.25

$3.15 JMD 495

-65.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ฿19.76

$1.44 JMD 226

-58.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.31 ฿142

$9.61 JMD 1,510

-55.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.60 ฿615

$11.48 JMD 1,803

62.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 ฿59.5

$2.95 JMD 463

-38.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 ฿98.0

$3.95 JMD 620

-24.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

$1.19 JMD 187

160.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

$3.07 JMD 482

-64.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

$6.42 JMD 1,009

-39.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

$1.38 JMD 217

3.62%

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

$44.5K JMD 7.0M

-37.59%

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

$33.4K JMD 5.2M

-19.23%

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

$105 ฿3,462

$178 JMD 27.9K

-41.01%

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

$11.39 ฿376

$28.99 JMD 4,554

-60.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.54 ฿580

$52.1 JMD 8,178

-66.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

$37.11 JMD 5,829

46.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$7.78 ฿257

$13.09 JMD 2,056

-40.57%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

$361 JMD 56.7K

59.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

$8,150 JMD 1.3M

42.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 ฿2,103

$24.06 JMD 3,780

164.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

$31.68 JMD 4,977

-8.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 ฿3,179

$76.3 JMD 12.0K

26.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.0 ฿2,974

$105 JMD 16.4K

-14.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$733 ฿24.2K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$501 ฿16.5K

$313 JMD 49.2K

60.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,126 ฿70.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,252 ฿41.4K

$504 JMD 79.2K

148.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.8K

$409 JMD 64.3K

24.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

9.45

-41.06%

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

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $63.0 in Santa Cruz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $374 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

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 24% 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 $576 in Phuket versus $361 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 Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $63.0 in Santa Cruz. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,319 in Santa Cruz, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Santa Cruz. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Santa Cruz, 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Santa Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.