Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and St John Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and St John

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,223 in Phuket versus $3,187 in St John.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,237 in Phuket versus $4,769 in St John.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,251 in Phuket versus $6,351 in St John.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 62% less than in St John, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 8% below, St John is 139% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.51 ฿147

$17.33 $17.33

-73.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.62 ฿1,515

$162 $162

-71.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.49 ฿276

$8.22 $8.22

3.28%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ฿100

$6.62 $6.62

-53.47%

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

$0.68 ฿22.07

$2.97 $2.97

-77.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ฿11.75

$1.96 $1.96

-81.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.43 ฿78.8

$6.65 $6.65

-63.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 ฿118

$6.87 $6.87

-47.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ฿71.1

$2.75 $2.75

-20.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.81 ฿59.0

$5.91 $5.91

-69.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.23 ฿72.5

$1.46 $1.46

52.74%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿72.7

$6.53 $6.53

-65.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.60 ฿637

$17.82 $17.82

9.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 ฿121

$26.97 $26.97

-86.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ฿438

Apples (1kg)

$3.36 ฿109

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ฿52.5

$4.96 $4.96

-67.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿78.3

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 ฿64.6

$9.07 $9.07

-78.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿49.76

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ฿47.19

$4.39 $4.39

-66.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ฿32.96

$5.08 $5.08

-80.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ฿139

Wine (Bottle)

$19.12 ฿621

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 ฿59.7

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ฿89.1

$6.11 $6.11

-55.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿46.06

$5.84 $5.84

-75.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.72 ฿381

$137 $137

-91.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.00 ฿97.6

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 ฿34.00

$3.05 $3.05

-65.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.90 ฿452

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ฿41.94

$1.56 $1.56

-17.31%

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

$28.0K ฿911.1K

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

$33.5K ฿1.1M

$22.6K $22.6K

48.43%

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

$122 ฿3,964

$242 $242

-49.65%

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

$13.93 ฿453

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.87 ฿613

$59.1 $59.1

-68.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.3 ฿1,992

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿547

Cinema Ticket

$8.89 ฿289

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

$691 ฿22.5K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ฿525.2K

$13.6K $13.6K

18.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,878

$101 $101

-43.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.39 ฿1,150

$59.0 $59.0

-40.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,685

$50.0 $50.0

126.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.0 ฿2,698

$50.6 $50.6

64.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$607 ฿19.7K

$2,243 $2,243

-72.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$448 ฿14.6K

$1,830 $1,830

-75.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,029 ฿66.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,493 ฿48.5K

$2,990 $2,990

-50.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,585 ฿116.5K

$12.7K $12.7K

-71.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,585 ฿84.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$505 ฿16.4K

$4,050 $4,050

-87.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

7.05

-24.40%

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

Last update for Phuket: June 13, 2026

Last update for St John: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $607 in Phuket and $2,243 in St John. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St John pays 702% 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 $162 in St John for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $292 vs $423 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 St John: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, St John earns 702% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $607 in Phuket versus $2,243 in St John. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $162 in St John. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 1071% less than in St John. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,223 in Phuket versus $3,187 in St John, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in St John. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in St John, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Phuket and St John 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in St John. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.