Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Santa Rita, Guam

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,294 a month against $1,770 in Santa Rita, rent and utilities included – about $5,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Phuket, Thailand
Santa Rita, Guam
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,294
/mo nomad
Santa Rita
🇬🇺 Guam
$1,770
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in Santa Rita

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in Santa Rita actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,294 in Phuket versus $1,770 in Santa Rita.

  • Phuket $1,294
  • Santa Rita $1,770

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,204 in Phuket versus $2,698 in Santa Rita.

  • Phuket $2,204
  • Santa Rita $2,698

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,115 in Phuket versus $3,627 in Santa Rita.

  • Phuket $3,115
  • Santa Rita $3,627

Living in Phuket costs roughly 27% less than in Santa Rita, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 4% below, Santa Rita is 31% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Santa Rita
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.39 ฿147
$19.62 $19.62
-77.62%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.31 ฿1,080
$75.7 $75.7
-57.32%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.70 ฿291
$6.08 $6.08
43.09%
Cappuccino
$2.72 ฿91.1
$5.02 $5.02
-45.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ฿31.11
$2.48 $2.48
-62.50%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.50 ฿16.70
$2.46 $2.46
-79.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.53 ฿84.6
$8.11 $8.11
-68.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.63 ฿121
$9.95 $9.95
-63.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Santa Rita
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 ฿58.2
$3.72 $3.72
-53.23%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.51
$4.31 $4.31
-66.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.50 ฿50.2
$2.70 $2.70
-44.44%
Eggs
$2.17 ฿72.6
$3.83 $3.83
-43.34%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.09 ฿638
$20.13 $20.13
-5.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿114
$6.53 $6.53
-47.93%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.90 ฿364
$9.65 $9.65
12.95%
Apples (1kg)
$2.94 ฿98.3
$4.90 $4.90
-40.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.69 ฿56.6
$2.59 $2.59
-34.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 ฿73.4
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$2.12 ฿71.0
$4.44 $4.44
-52.25%
Potato (1kg)
$1.46 ฿48.77
$4.13 $4.13
-64.65%
Onion (1kg)
$1.37 ฿45.74
$2.80 $2.80
-51.07%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.08 ฿35.98
$2.03 $2.03
-46.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55 ฿18.24
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43 ฿148
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$18.25 ฿610
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.77 ฿59.3
$2.79 $2.79
-36.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 ฿96.3
$1.64 $1.64
75.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Santa Rita
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.45 ฿48.40
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$54.9 ฿1,835
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ฿50.6
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.78 ฿25.94
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.84 ฿128
$31.43 $31.43
-87.78%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.49 ฿49.74
$1.38 $1.38
7.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.9K ฿898.9K
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.3K ฿881.0K
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Santa Rita
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$97.8 ฿3,271
$253 $253
-61.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.29 ฿378
$90.0 $90.0
-87.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.19 ฿575
$81.1 $81.1
-78.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Santa Rita
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$68.3 ฿2,285
$101 $101
-32.12%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.92 ฿365
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.43 ฿248
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Santa Rita
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$530 ฿17.7K
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$18.8K ฿628.1K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Santa Rita
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.7 ฿2,062
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.25 ฿945
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.0 ฿3,210
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$86.8 ฿2,903
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Santa Rita
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$721 ฿24.1K
$910 $910
-20.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$509 ฿17.0K
$596 $596
-14.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,950 ฿65.2K
$2,011 $2,011
-3.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,397 ฿46.7K
$1,101 $1,101
26.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,192 ฿140.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,298 ฿110.3K
$300 $300
1000.53%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Santa Rita
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$492 ฿16.4K
$5,555 $5,555
-91.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
0
-

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

Last update for Phuket: November 2, 2026

Last update for Santa Rita: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$509
Santa Rita
–
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$267
Santa Rita
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$126
Santa Rita
–
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$123
Santa Rita
–
Eating Out
Phuket
$120
Santa Rita
–
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$83
Santa Rita
–
Getting Around
Phuket
$66
Santa Rita
–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $721 in Phuket and $910 in Santa Rita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Rita pays about 11 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $32 in Phuket vs $76 in Santa Rita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $267 vs $334 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇬🇺 Santa Rita
🕒 Local time
12:46 12:46 PM
15:46 3:46 PM
3 h ahead of Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
7,500
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 33.44 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.54 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.891 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket Santa Rita 5,090 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • Santa Rita

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Is Phuket cheaper than Santa Rita?
Phuket is about 27% cheaper overall, especially in eating out, utilities, and groceries. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Santa Rita?
On paper, salaries run 91% lower in Phuket. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and Santa Rita?
Rent for a central apartment: $721 in Phuket versus $910 in Santa Rita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and in Santa Rita?
Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Santa Rita. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in Santa Rita?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32 versus $76 in Santa Rita. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in Santa Rita?
At $1,294 in Phuket versus $1,770 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.
Is it better to live in Phuket or in Santa Rita?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Santa Rita?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Santa Rita are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
It comes down to priorities – Phuket wins on affordability, Santa Rita on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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