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 $879 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,438 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $1,998 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Phuket is roughly 44% more expensive than 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

$4.56 ฿150

$7.37 JMD 1,159

-38.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,535

$63.3 JMD 9,958

-26.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿279

$8.95 JMD 1,407

-5.36%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿99.7

$4.40 JMD 693

-31.14%

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

$0.69 ฿22.69

$1.31 JMD 205

-47.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿12.04

$0.74 JMD 117

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.9

$2.52 JMD 397

-1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿120

$3.17 JMD 498

15.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.8

$4.23 JMD 665

-48.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.6

$3.49 JMD 549

-45.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.4

$1.58 JMD 248

39.24%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿73.2

$3.42 JMD 538

-35.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿658

$11.24 JMD 1,768

77.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿121

$6.55 JMD 1,030

-44.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿436

$7.54 JMD 1,187

75.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿106

$5.96 JMD 938

-45.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.9

$3.16 JMD 497

-46.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.8

$4.13 JMD 650

-42.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.4

$3.00 JMD 472

-30.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿52.4

$2.07 JMD 326

-23.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.83

$1.94 JMD 305

-23.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.90

$2.99 JMD 470

-65.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.01

$1.46 JMD 229

-64.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿140

$9.01 JMD 1,417

-52.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿618

$11.47 JMD 1,804

63.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.8

$2.85 JMD 449

-38.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.8

$3.21 JMD 506

-14.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿374

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿103

$1.09 JMD 171

188.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿34.10

$3.16 JMD 497

-67.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿453

$6.15 JMD 967

123.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.26

$1.23 JMD 193

8.94%

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

$27.7K ฿911.1K

$43.6K JMD 6.9M

-36.56%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$34.0K JMD 5.3M

-0.27%

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

$124 ฿4,069

$162 JMD 25.4K

-23.49%

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

$13.52 ฿445

$22.34 JMD 3,514

-39.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿615

$50.2 JMD 7,897

-62.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿568

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿301

$12.93 JMD 2,034

-29.31%

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

$703 ฿23.1K

$226 JMD 35.6K

210.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿522.5K

$2,445 JMD 384.5K

549.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,958

$26.26 JMD 4,130

126.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,154

$26.02 JMD 4,092

34.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,795

$71.7 JMD 11.3K

60.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,767

$74.7 JMD 11.7K

12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.4K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.9K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.7K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿120.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿86.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.7K

$405 JMD 63.7K

25.24%

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: June 7, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Phuket pays 25% 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 $63.0 in Santa Cruz for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $350 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 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 25% 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 $703 in Phuket versus $226 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 $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $879 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 44% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.