Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and St Lawrence

For one person, living is cheaper in Phuket: $1,190 a month against $3,145 in St Lawrence, rent and utilities included – about $23,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,190
/mo nomad
St Lawrence
🇯🇪 Jersey
$3,145
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Phuket and in St Lawrence

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Phuket and in St Lawrence actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,190 in Phuket versus $3,145 in St Lawrence.

  • Phuket $1,190
  • St Lawrence $3,145

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,006 in Phuket versus $5,181 in St Lawrence.

  • Phuket $2,006
  • St Lawrence $5,181

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Phuket versus $7,217 in St Lawrence.

  • Phuket $2,822
  • St Lawrence $7,217

Living in Phuket costs roughly 62% less than in St Lawrence, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Phuket is 11% below, St Lawrence is 135% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Phuket
St Lawrence
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$4.35 ฿146
$39.08 JEP 29.59
-88.87%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.45 ฿1,087
$119 JEP 90.4
-72.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.42 ฿282
$10.76 JEP 8.14
-21.75%
Cappuccino
$2.81 ฿94.0
$4.87 JEP 3.69
-42.30%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87 ฿29.29
$3.24 JEP 2.45
-73.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.46 ฿15.39
$2.53 JEP 1.92
-81.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.59 ฿86.6
$8.03 JEP 6.08
-67.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.64 ฿122
$6.47 JEP 4.90
-43.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Phuket
St Lawrence
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 ฿57.2
$2.31 JEP 1.75
-25.97%
White Bread (500g)
$1.45 ฿48.42
$2.81 JEP 2.13
-48.40%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.56 ฿52.3
$2.52 JEP 1.91
-38.10%
Eggs
$2.10 ฿70.3
$5.74 JEP 4.34
-63.41%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.53 ฿654
$7.39 JEP 5.59
164.28%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.40 ฿114
$12.14 JEP 9.19
-71.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.14 ฿373
$18.11 JEP 13.71
-38.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.83 ฿94.8
$4.25 JEP 3.22
-33.41%
Banana (1kg)
$1.62 ฿54.3
$3.44 JEP 2.60
-52.91%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.22 ฿74.5
$4.17 JEP 3.16
-46.76%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.15 ฿71.9
$4.51 JEP 3.41
-52.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.49 ฿49.95
$3.23 JEP 2.44
-53.87%
Onion (1kg)
$1.33 ฿44.40
$3.13 JEP 2.37
-57.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.07 ฿35.72
$1.82 JEP 1.37
-41.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 ฿17.01
$2.47 JEP 1.87
-79.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.38 ฿147
$19.71 JEP 14.92
-77.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$18.77 ฿629
$10.64 JEP 8.06
76.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74 ฿58.3
$4.59 JEP 3.47
-62.09%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 ฿92.9
$7.81 JEP 5.91
-64.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Phuket
St Lawrence
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.17 ฿72.6
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.28 ฿746
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.02 ฿101
$5.21 JEP 3.95
-42.03%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.06 ฿35.43
$2.43 JEP 1.84
-56.38%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$3.71 ฿124
$53.5 JEP 40.52
-93.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.43 ฿47.88
$2.11 JEP 1.60
-32.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.3K ฿882.1K
$26.6K JEP 20.1K
-0.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.2K ฿877.3K
$36.1K JEP 27.3K
-27.40%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
St Lawrence
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$96.7 ฿3,236
$318 JEP 241
-69.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.41 ฿382
$33.88 JEP 25.64
-66.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.11 ฿573
$72.3 JEP 54.8
-76.34%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
St Lawrence
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$52.8 ฿1,768
$93.8 JEP 71.0
-43.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.07 ฿371
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$7.65 ฿256
$20.21 JEP 15.30
-62.15%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Phuket
St Lawrence
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$555 ฿18.6K
$833 JEP 631
-33.41%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$11.3K ฿377.7K
$12.0K JEP 9,107
-6.23%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
St Lawrence
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.4 ฿2,123
$104 JEP 78.7
-38.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$28.61 ฿958
$72.8 JEP 55.1
-60.70%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$96.7 ฿3,238
$120 JEP 90.6
-19.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$88.6 ฿2,967
$207 JEP 156
-57.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Phuket
St Lawrence
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$735 ฿24.6K
$1,749 JEP 1,324
-58.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$458 ฿15.3K
$1,482 JEP 1,122
-69.10%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,102 ฿70.4K
$3,974 JEP 3,008
-47.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,187 ฿39.7K
$3,325 JEP 2,517
-64.30%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,493 ฿116.9K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,491 ฿83.4K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Phuket
St Lawrence
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$501 ฿16.8K
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
4.08
36.52%

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

Last update for Phuket: October 4, 2026

Last update for St Lawrence: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Phuket
$458
St Lawrence
$1.5K 224% $1K
Groceries & Markets
Phuket
$268
St Lawrence
$415 54.9% $147
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Phuket
$125
St Lawrence
$424 239% $299
Clothing & Footwear
Phuket
$125
St Lawrence
$226 81.4% $102
Eating Out
Phuket
$119
St Lawrence
$480 302% $360
Sport & Entertainment
Phuket
$68
St Lawrence
$134 97% $66
Getting Around
Phuket
$39
St Lawrence
$17 * 55.8% $22

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $735 in Phuket and $1,749 in St Lawrence. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Phuket vs $119 in St Lawrence for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $268 vs $415 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇹🇭 Phuket
🇯🇪 St Lawrence
🕒 Local time
17:06 5:06 PM
11:06 11:06 AM
6 h behind Phuket
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
79,308
5,500
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

JEP, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.52 THB (100 THB = 2.67 EUR).

Jersey Pound exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 0.757 JEP (1 JEP = 1.32 USD). 1 EUR = 0.848 JEP (1 JEP = 1.18 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Phuket St Lawrence 10,100 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Phuket
  • St Lawrence

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lawrence: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is St Lawrence cheaper than Phuket?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 164% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,785 in Phuket and $4,717 in St Lawrence to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Phuket and St Lawrence?
Rent for a central apartment: $735 in Phuket versus $1,749 in St Lawrence. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $555 in Phuket versus $833 in St Lawrence. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Phuket or in St Lawrence?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $119 in St Lawrence. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Phuket or in St Lawrence?
At $1,190 in Phuket versus $3,145 in St Lawrence, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in St Lawrence. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Phuket or St Lawrence more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in St Lawrence, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Phuket or St Lawrence?
Safety-wise, Phuket and St Lawrence are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 164% less than in St Lawrence. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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