Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saraburi Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Saraburi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,261 in Phuket versus $789 in Saraburi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,286 in Phuket versus $1,430 in Saraburi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,310 in Phuket versus $2,070 in Saraburi.

Living in Phuket is roughly 60% more expensive than Saraburi, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 6% lower, Saraburi 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ฿149

$3.14 ฿102

45.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.63 ฿1,519

$27.25 ฿887

71.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.47 ฿276

$6.86 ฿223

23.47%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ฿98.6

$2.25 ฿73.3

34.67%

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

$0.69 ฿22.45

$0.68 ฿22.04

1.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.92

$0.27 ฿8.81

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.49 ฿81.0

$1.98 ฿64.6

25.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.16 ฿103

15.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.18 ฿71.0

$1.50 ฿48.71

45.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ฿62.0

$1.12 ฿36.38

69.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 ฿71.6

$1.25 ฿40.86

76.00%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿72.4

$2.23 ฿72.6

-0.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.99 ฿651

$18.73 ฿610

6.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.66 ฿119

$3.04 ฿99.1

20.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 ฿432

$11.01 ฿359

20.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.23 ฿105

$5.28 ฿172

-38.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 ฿55.3

$1.82 ฿59.2

-6.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.39 ฿78.0

$1.98 ฿64.4

20.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 ฿67.7

$1.52 ฿49.54

36.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿51.8

$1.54 ฿50.1

3.25%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ฿48.31

$1.26 ฿40.96

17.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿33.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿16.83

$0.51 ฿16.71

1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 ฿138

$4.47 ฿145

-4.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.79 ฿612

$21.25 ฿692

-11.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.2

$1.79 ฿58.3

-1.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿89.8

$2.78 ฿90.5

-0.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.36 ฿44.32

$0.95 ฿30.80

43.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.36 ฿370

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.14 ฿102

$1.06 ฿34.43

196.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿33.74

$1.18 ฿38.47

-11.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.77 ฿448

$6.18 ฿201

122.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿43.79

$1.27 ฿41.39

5.51%

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

$27.7K ฿901.4K

$28.0K ฿912.4K

-1.20%

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

$33.9K ฿1.1M

$27.5K ฿896.6K

23.01%

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

$124 ฿4,025

$77.1 ฿2,511

60.28%

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

$13.52 ฿440

$13.83 ฿451

-2.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.69 ฿609

$17.03 ฿555

9.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.8 ฿2,013

$49.75 ฿1,620

24.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.25 ฿562

$12.31 ฿401

40.13%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 ฿298

$7.18 ฿234

27.30%

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

$703 ฿22.9K

$293 ฿9,542

139.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.9K ฿517.0K

$7,048 ฿229.5K

125.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.5 ฿1,937

$33.05 ฿1,076

79.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.07 ฿1,142

$35.24 ฿1,148

-0.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,754

$98.0 ฿3,193

17.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.1 ฿2,737

$70.1 ฿2,282

19.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 ฿20.1K

$419 ฿13.7K

47.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$433 ฿14.1K

$132 ฿4,284

228.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,062 ฿67.2K

$828 ฿27.0K

148.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,511 ฿49.2K

$663 ฿21.6K

127.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,646 ฿118.7K

$1,962 ฿63.9K

85.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,626 ฿85.5K

$1,457 ฿47.4K

80.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$507 ฿16.5K

$457 ฿14.9K

11.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

5.45

-2.20%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 7, 2026

Last update for Saraburi: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Phuket and $419 in Saraburi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 11% 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: $47.00 in Phuket vs $27.00 in Saraburi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $272 per month, with Saraburi 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 Saraburi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saraburi is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Phuket pays 11% more on average, 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: $619 in Phuket versus $419 in Saraburi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $703 in Phuket versus $293 in Saraburi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Saraburi – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $47.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $789 in Saraburi versus $1,261 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Saraburi but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Saraburi the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Saraburi 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 Saraburi 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 Saraburi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.