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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,758 in Santa Rita.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,054 in Phuket versus $3,105 in Santa Rita.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,876 in Phuket versus $4,451 in Santa Rita.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 30% less than in Santa Rita, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 10% below, Santa Rita is 29% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.41 ฿147

$20.05 $20.05

-78.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.26 ฿1,077

$78.0 $78.0

-58.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.93 ฿298

$5.88 $5.88

51.87%

Cappuccino

$2.90 ฿96.6

$4.90 $4.90

-40.82%

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

$0.88 ฿29.38

$2.55 $2.55

-65.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.06

$2.53 $2.53

-81.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 ฿78.5

$7.98 $7.98

-70.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.72 ฿124

$10.18 $10.18

-63.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ฿62.3

$3.85 $3.85

-51.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.47 ฿48.94

$4.33 $4.33

-66.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$2.71 $2.71

-42.80%

Eggs

$2.10 ฿70.1

$3.74 $3.74

-43.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿654

$19.51 $19.51

0.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.42 ฿114

$6.51 $6.51

-47.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.38 ฿380

$9.61 $9.61

18.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.98 ฿99.6

$4.73 $4.73

-37.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.2

$2.67 $2.67

-37.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿73.7

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 ฿72.1

$4.31 $4.31

-49.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿50.9

$4.15 $4.15

-63.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.67

$2.79 $2.79

-51.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.13 ฿37.67

$2.03 $2.03

-44.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ฿18.24

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.26 ฿142

Wine (Bottle)

$19.09 ฿637

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿59.4

$2.83 $2.83

-37.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ฿92.9

$1.72 $1.72

61.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.4

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿759

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 ฿101

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.02 ฿34.15

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.89 ฿130

$32.26 $32.26

-87.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ฿49.77

$1.42 $1.42

4.93%

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

$26.6K ฿887.3K

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

$27.0K ฿902.2K

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

$102 ฿3,420

$254 $254

-59.58%

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

$11.33 ฿378

$89.1 $89.1

-87.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.40 ฿581

$81.3 $81.3

-78.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,738

$100 $100

-48.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿370

Cinema Ticket

$7.69 ฿257

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

$561 ฿18.7K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.5K ฿384.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.0 ฿2,104

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.52 ฿986

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 ฿3,272

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.5 ฿2,954

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

$889 $889

-16.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.1K

$605 $605

-20.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.3K

$1,965 $1,965

7.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.9K

$1,965 $1,965

-37.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,617 ฿120.7K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,603 ฿86.9K

$299 $299

771.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$5,439 $5,439

-90.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Last update for Santa Rita: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Phuket and $889 in Santa Rita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Rita pays 1002% 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: $32.00 in Phuket vs $78.0 in Santa Rita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $274 vs $332 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 Rita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1002% lower in Santa Rita. 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: $738 in Phuket versus $889 in Santa Rita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Santa Rita. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $78.0 in Santa Rita. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,758 in Santa Rita, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Santa Rita. 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 Rita, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and Santa Rita 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 43% less than in Santa Rita. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.