🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,447 in Santiago de Compostela.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Phuket versus $2,174 in Santiago de Compostela.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,329 in Phuket versus $2,900 in Santiago de Compostela.
🙂Living in Phuket costs roughly 13% less than in Santiago de Compostela, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 6% below, Santiago de Compostela is 8% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.70฿154
$13.87€11.94
-66.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$45.37฿1,483
$54.8€47.16
-17.16%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.43฿276
$9.65€8.31
-12.64%
Cappuccino
$2.93฿95.7
$1.94€1.67
51.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69฿22.42
$2.36€2.03
-70.76%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.37฿12.00
$2.02€1.74
-81.68%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.41฿78.7
$3.03€2.61
-20.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.72฿122
$3.65€3.15
1.92%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.23฿73.0
$1.15€0.99
93.91%
White Bread(500g)
$1.83฿59.9
$1.21€1.04
51.24%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.17฿70.9
$1.61€1.39
34.78%
Eggs
$2.21฿72.4
$2.97€2.56
-25.59%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$19.74฿645
$9.29€8.00
112.49%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.63฿119
$6.30€5.43
-42.38%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.53฿442
$17.02€14.65
-20.51%
Apples(1kg)
$3.28฿107
$1.83€1.57
79.23%
Banana(1kg)
$1.61฿52.7
$2.22€1.91
-27.48%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.41฿78.7
$1.53€1.32
57.52%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.08฿68.1
$2.84€2.45
-26.76%
Potato(1kg)
$1.53฿49.97
$2.13€1.83
-28.17%
Onion(1kg)
$1.48฿48.41
$1.52€1.31
-2.63%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.99฿32.32
$1.18€1.01
-16.10%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51฿16.68
$0.69€0.59
-26.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.41฿144
$6.16€5.31
-28.41%
Wine(Bottle)
$19.38฿634
$5.39€4.64
259.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.78฿58.1
$1.49€1.28
19.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71฿88.7
$2.41€2.07
12.45%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.37฿44.83
$1.25€1.07
9.60%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$11.39฿372
$34.88€30.04
-67.35%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.02฿98.7
$4.58€3.95
-34.06%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.99฿32.51
$1.26€1.09
-21.43%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$14.10฿461
$22.95€19.76
-38.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.36฿44.55
$1.82€1.56
-25.27%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿921.9K
$28.4K€24.5K
-0.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.9K฿1.1M
$31.2K€26.9K
5.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$122฿3,978
$162€140
-25.06%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.57฿444
$21.15€18.21
-35.84%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.31฿599
$33.39€28.75
-45.16%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$60.2฿1,969
$41.32€35.58
45.74%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.14฿560
$2.32€2.00
638.79%
Cinema Ticket
$8.69฿284
$10.00€8.61
-13.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$693฿22.7K
$349€301
98.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.7K฿512.8K
$8,176€7,040
91.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.5฿1,946
$77.4€66.6
-23.04%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.77฿1,137
$32.12€27.66
8.25%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$115฿3,746
$86.3€74.3
32.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.3฿2,723
$97.7€84.2
-14.78%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$613฿20.0K
$730€629
-16.01%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$437฿14.3K
$526€453
-16.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,094฿68.5K
$1,033€889
102.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,509฿49.3K
$881€759
71.28%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,749฿122.6K
$3,181€2,739
17.86%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,616฿85.5K
$2,224€1,915
17.64%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
Santiago de Compostela
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$508฿16.6K
$1,974€1,700
-74.26%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
3.33
60.06%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026
Last update for Santiago de Compostela: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $613 in Phuket and $730 in Santiago de Compostela. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Santiago de Compostela pays 288% 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 $55.0 in Santiago de Compostela. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $241, with Santiago de Compostela cheaper for home cooking.
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 Santiago de Compostela: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Santiago de Compostela cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Phuket or Santiago de Compostela?
On paper, Santiago de Compostela earns 288% less. 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 Santiago de Compostela?
Rent for a central apartment: $613 in Phuket versus $730 in Santiago de Compostela. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $693 in Phuket versus $349 in Santiago de Compostela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Phuket and Santiago de Compostela?
Shoppers in Santiago de Compostela pay roughly 22% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Phuket or Santiago de Compostela?
At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,447 in Santiago de Compostela, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Santiago de Compostela. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or Santiago de Compostela more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Santiago de Compostela, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or Santiago de Compostela?
Safety-wise, Phuket and Santiago de Compostela are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Santiago de Compostela. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.