Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sao Tome Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sao Tome

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Phuket versus $1,081 in Sao Tome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,284 in Phuket versus $1,841 in Sao Tome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,317 in Phuket versus $2,601 in Sao Tome.

Living in Phuket is roughly 16% more expensive than in Sao Tome, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Sao Tome 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ฿153

$19.99 STN 430

-77.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.18 ฿1,553

$45.96 STN 988

0.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿297

$9.95 STN 214

-11.16%

Cappuccino

$3.06 ฿103

$1.72 STN 37.06

77.91%

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

$0.73 ฿24.40

$1.94 STN 41.77

-62.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.40 ฿13.39

$1.15 STN 24.72

-65.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿81.8

$1.63 STN 35.15

49.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.78 ฿127

$1.88 STN 40.46

101.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿76.0

$1.33 STN 28.61

69.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿60.9

$1.04 STN 22.43

74.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.25 ฿75.8

$2.26 STN 48.61

-0.44%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.5

$4.94 STN 106

-54.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.51 ฿656

$20.05 STN 431

-2.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿123

$19.87 STN 427

-81.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.05 ฿439

$24.69 STN 531

-47.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿109

$4.50 STN 96.7

-28.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿54.4

$1.18 STN 25.43

37.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.38 ฿80.1

$3.98 STN 85.5

-40.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿68.1

$3.52 STN 75.6

-42.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.6

$2.58 STN 55.6

-40.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿50.5

$1.99 STN 42.83

-24.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.91

$0.66 STN 14.27

48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.39

$1.90 STN 40.82

-72.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.44 ฿149

$2.32 STN 49.94

91.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.32 ฿616

$7.94 STN 171

130.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.7

$1.27 STN 27.27

46.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ฿90.1

$1.34 STN 28.81

100.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

$1.26 STN 27.11

11.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 ฿105

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿474

$14.14 STN 304

-0.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ฿44.10

$1.65 STN 35.39

-20.61%

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

$27.8K ฿935.4K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

$22.8K STN 490.0K

45.74%

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

$122 ฿4,118

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

$13.59 ฿457

$34.83 STN 749

-60.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 ฿629

$72.6 STN 1,560

-74.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,034

$36.62 STN 787

65.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿571

$29.39 STN 632

-42.23%

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

$21.14 STN 455

-57.10%

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 ฿1,969

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,189

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,883

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.7 ฿2,816

$19.10 STN 411

338.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ฿21.0K

$353 STN 7,595

77.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

$235 STN 5,044

89.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.6K

$664 STN 14.3K

207.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

$515 STN 11.1K

189.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

$1,840 STN 39.6K

89.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

$1,149 STN 24.7K

124.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

$265 STN 5,702

88.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.38

-27.78%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Phuket and $353 in Sao Tome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 88% 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: $46.00 in Phuket vs $46.00 in Sao Tome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $289 vs $411 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 Sao Tome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Tome is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 88% higher in Phuket, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $626 in Phuket versus $353 in Sao Tome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Phuket pay roughly 42% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Sao Tome – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,081 in Sao Tome versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Tome but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Tome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sao Tome 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 Sao Tome 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 Sao Tome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.