Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sari Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Sari

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,264 in Phuket versus $569 in Sari.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $833 in Sari.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $1,096 in Sari.

Living in Phuket is roughly 122% more expensive than in Sari, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Phuket 5% lower, Sari 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$4.11 $4.11

9.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,525

$11.21 $11.21

306.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿293

$5.11 $5.11

71.43%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.63 $0.63

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.05 $1.05

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.3

$0.82 $0.82

262.20%

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

$0.69 ฿22.96

$0.43 $0.43

60.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.07

$0.56 $0.56

-30.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.8

$0.60 $0.60

258.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$0.54 $0.54

237.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿73.1

$1.87 $1.87

16.58%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.2

$1.16 $1.16

93.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿669

$3.40 $3.40

488.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$3.00 $3.00

21.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿453

$7.58 $7.58

78.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿109

$0.38 $0.38

752.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.7

$0.91 $0.91

80.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿78.0

$0.88 $0.88

164.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.3

$0.63 $0.63

228.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.8

$0.55 $0.55

181.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.67

$0.55 $0.55

165.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.94

$0.58 $0.58

68.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.13

$0.19 $0.19

152.63%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.58 $0.58

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 $0.34

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 $1.56

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿146

$1.98 $1.98

119.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.1

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.8

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.40

$0.11 $0.11

1190.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿387

$10.04 $10.04

15.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

$0.51 $0.51

521.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.51

$0.29 $0.29

255.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿465

$2.33 $2.33

496.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.96

$0.74 $0.74

81.08%

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

$27.8K ฿929.6K

$81.2K $81.2K

-65.76%

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$55.7K $55.7K

-40.12%

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

$123 ฿4,116

$15.47 $15.47

695.41%

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

$13.77 ฿461

$2.17 $2.17

534.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿613

$5.72 $5.72

220.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,030

$32.92 $32.92

84.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿574

$11.06 $11.06

55.15%

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿297

$1.01 $1.01

778.22%

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

$688 ฿23.0K

$50.6 $50.6

1259.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿527.8K

$812 $812

1844.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,984

$31.34 $31.34

89.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,160

$34.12 $34.12

1.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,853

$123 $123

-6.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,802

$71.3 $71.3

17.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.8K

$542 $542

14.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$224 $224

98.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿68.0K

$634 $634

220.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿50.0K

$300 $300

398.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.6K

$1,058 $1,058

226.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.7K

$473 $473

435.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$380 $380

30.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

25.07

-78.74%

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

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Last update for Sari: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $542 in Sari. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 30% 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 $11.00 in Sari for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $93.0 per month, with Sari 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 Sari: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sari is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 122% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 30% 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: $621 in Phuket versus $542 in Sari. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $688 in Phuket versus $50.6 in Sari. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 213% higher in Phuket. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $569 in Sari versus $1,264 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sari but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sari the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sari 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 Sari 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 Sari gentler on the wallet – expenses run 122% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.