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: $1,264 in Phuket versus $3,096 in St John.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,256 in Phuket versus $4,732 in St John.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,248 in Phuket versus $6,368 in St John.

Living in Phuket costs roughly 59% less than in St John, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 5% below, St John is 133% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.48 ฿150

$17.26 $17.26

-74.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.59 ฿1,521

$163 $163

-71.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 ฿292

$8.48 $8.48

3.30%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ฿99.0

$6.53 $6.53

-54.52%

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

$0.69 ฿22.90

$3.08 $3.08

-77.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ฿13.04

$1.98 $1.98

-80.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿84.4

$6.41 $6.41

-60.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 ฿125

$6.95 $6.95

-46.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ฿71.6

$2.76 $2.76

-22.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.82 ฿60.6

$5.88 $5.88

-69.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

$1.47 $1.47

48.30%

Eggs

$2.25 ฿75.0

$6.39 $6.39

-64.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.00 ฿667

$17.97 $17.97

11.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.63 ฿121

$25.97 $25.97

-86.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.56 ฿452

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

$4.99 $4.99

-67.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

$8.89 $8.89

-76.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ฿48.54

$4.52 $4.52

-67.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

$5.10 $5.10

-80.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿16.09

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 ฿145

Wine (Bottle)

$18.57 ฿620

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿61.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 ฿88.6

$5.98 $5.98

-55.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.42 ฿47.28

$6.11 $6.11

-76.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.57 ฿386

$138 $138

-91.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

$3.15 $3.15

-67.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 ฿44.84

$1.64 $1.64

-18.29%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

$22.4K $22.4K

48.84%

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

$123 ฿4,105

$244 $244

-49.49%

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

$13.77 ฿459

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.33 ฿611

$60.1 $60.1

-69.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.7 ฿2,025

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$8.87 ฿296

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

$13.6K $13.6K

15.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ฿1,978

$101 $101

-41.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.69 ฿1,157

$58.8 $58.8

-41.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,843

$49.18 $49.18

134.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$83.8 ฿2,794

$49.15 $49.15

70.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ฿20.7K

$2,207 $2,207

-71.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.9K

$1,790 $1,790

-75.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,034 ฿67.8K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 ฿49.9K

$2,965 $2,965

-49.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

$12.7K $12.7K

-72.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 ฿16.5K

$4,033 $4,033

-87.76%

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: July 27, 2026

Last update for St John: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Phuket and $2,207 in St John. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St John pays 717% 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 $163 in St John for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $291 vs $417 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 145% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 717% lower in St John. 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: $621 in Phuket versus $2,207 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 $46.00 versus $163 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 1097% less than in St John. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $3,096 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 145% less than in St John. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.