Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Santa Monica, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Santa Monica, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $4,561 in Santa Monica, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $6,985 in Santa Monica, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $9,408 in Santa Monica, CA.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 72% less than in Santa Monica, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Santa Monica, CA is 240% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.70 ฿153

$25.17 $25.17

-81.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.37 ฿1,482

$98.5 $98.5

-53.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.43 ฿275

$12.35 $12.35

-31.74%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ฿95.6

$5.59 $5.59

-47.58%

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

$0.69 ฿22.40

$2.95 $2.95

-76.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.99

$2.26 $2.26

-83.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$8.61 $8.61

-72.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿122

$9.24 $9.24

-59.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 ฿72.9

$1.18 $1.18

88.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ฿59.8

$4.29 $4.29

-57.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.17 ฿70.8

$4.37 $4.37

-50.34%

Eggs

$2.21 ฿72.3

$6.99 $6.99

-68.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.74 ฿645

$12.47 $12.47

58.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿119

$13.90 $13.90

-73.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.53 ฿442

$14.69 $14.69

-7.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.28 ฿107

$5.60 $5.60

-41.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ฿52.6

$1.98 $1.98

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.6

$3.96 $3.96

-39.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿68.1

$5.72 $5.72

-63.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.93

$2.97 $2.97

-48.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.36

$2.51 $2.51

-41.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.29

$1.90 $1.90

-47.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ฿16.67

$2.16 $2.16

-76.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ฿144

$10.97 $10.97

-59.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.38 ฿633

$15.15 $15.15

27.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$2.52 $2.52

-29.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ฿88.6

$5.15 $5.15

-47.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

$2.18 $2.18

-37.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

$78.8 $78.8

-85.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 ฿98.6

$3.07 $3.07

-1.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

$1.71 $1.71

-42.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

$28.91 $28.91

-51.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ฿44.51

$1.30 $1.30

4.62%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

$24.4K $24.4K

15.82%

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$25.2K $25.2K

30.79%

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

$122 ฿3,975

$192 $192

-36.53%

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

$13.57 ฿443

$58.9 $58.9

-76.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.31 ฿598

$65.8 $65.8

-72.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

$122 $122

-50.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

$45.04 $45.04

-61.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

$18.15 $18.15

-52.12%

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

$693 ฿22.6K

$1,806 $1,806

-61.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

$14.8K $14.8K

5.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,944

$62.3 $62.3

-4.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

$34.90 $34.90

-0.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

$103 $103

11.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.3 ฿2,720

$152 $152

-45.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$613 ฿20.0K

$3,293 $3,293

-81.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$437 ฿14.3K

$2,878 $2,878

-84.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,094 ฿68.4K

$6,994 $6,994

-70.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,509 ฿49.3K

$5,951 $5,951

-74.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

$10.8K $10.8K

-65.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

$8,190 $8,190

-68.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

$7,147 $7,147

-92.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

6.49

-17.87%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Last update for Santa Monica, CA: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $3,293 in Santa Monica, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Monica, CA pays 1307% 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: $45.00 in Phuket vs $98.0 in Santa Monica, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $436 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 Monica, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 261% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Santa Monica, CA earns 1307% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $3,293 in Santa Monica, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $1,806 in Santa Monica, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 49% higher in Santa Monica, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $4,561 in Santa Monica, CA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Santa Monica, CA. 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 Monica, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Santa Monica, CA 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 261% less than in Santa Monica, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.