😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,360 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $1,247 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,028 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $2,276 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,695 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $3,306 in Phuket.
😐Living in Saint Ann's Bay is roughly 9% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Saint Ann's Bay is 1% above, Phuket is 7% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.52JMD 1,190
$4.59฿147
63.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.83JMD 7,887
$46.83฿1,500
6.41%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.91JMD 1,410
$8.70฿279
2.41%
Cappuccino
$4.41JMD 698
$2.92฿93.7
51.03%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36JMD 215
$0.68฿21.90
100.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.72JMD 114
$0.40฿12.69
80.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.46JMD 389
$2.51฿80.3
-1.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21JMD 509
$3.80฿122
-15.53%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$4.43JMD 701
$2.16฿69.2
105.09%
White Bread(500g)
$2.65JMD 420
$1.88฿60.3
40.96%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.60JMD 253
$2.16฿69.1
-25.93%
Eggs
$3.44JMD 545
$2.22฿71.1
54.95%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.25JMD 1,780
$19.57฿627
-42.51%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.53JMD 1,033
$3.80฿122
71.84%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$7.55JMD 1,195
$13.41฿430
-43.70%
Apples(1kg)
$6.05JMD 957
$3.26฿104
85.58%
Banana(1kg)
$3.10JMD 491
$1.61฿51.6
92.55%
Oranges(1kg)
$4.16JMD 658
$2.31฿73.9
80.09%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.02JMD 478
$2.06฿65.9
46.60%
Potato(1kg)
$2.10JMD 332
$1.61฿51.4
30.43%
Onion(1kg)
$2.00JMD 316
$1.44฿46.23
38.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.97JMD 469
$1.03฿32.99
188.35%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16JMD 183
$0.48฿15.38
141.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$8.80JMD 1,393
$4.50฿144
95.56%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.35JMD 1,796
$19.18฿614
-40.82%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.81JMD 445
$1.82฿58.4
54.40%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.15JMD 499
$2.69฿86.2
17.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$1.38฿44.13
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.76฿377
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.97JMD 153
$3.11฿99.5
-68.81%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.27JMD 517
$1.00฿32.16
227.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.31JMD 999
$13.74฿440
-54.08%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.24JMD 195
$1.30฿41.58
-4.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.6KJMD 3.7M
$27.4K฿876.5K
-13.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.2KJMD 2.7M
$33.0K฿1.1M
-47.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$166JMD 26.3K
$125฿4,001
33.10%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.26JMD 3,523
$13.74฿440
62.01%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.9JMD 8,211
$18.61฿596
178.77%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$60.6฿1,940
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.15฿549
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.92JMD 2,045
$9.01฿289
43.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$230JMD 36.4K
$698฿22.4K
-67.08%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$2,517JMD 398.4K
$16.1K฿516.2K
-84.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.36JMD 4,172
$59.2฿1,897
-55.48%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.02JMD 4,118
$34.86฿1,117
-25.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$68.9JMD 10.9K
$114฿3,659
-39.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.6JMD 12.1K
$85.8฿2,749
-10.77%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$495JMD 78.4K
$619฿19.8K
-19.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$475JMD 75.2K
$437฿14.0K
8.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,000JMD 158.2K
$2,075฿66.5K
-51.83%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$829JMD 131.3K
$1,509฿48.4K
-45.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,764฿120.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,694฿86.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$528฿16.9K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4
5.33
-24.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Saint Ann's Bay: April 13, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $495 in Saint Ann's Bay and $619 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $50 in Saint Ann's Bay vs $47 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $292 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
Saint Ann's Bay vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Saint Ann's Bay?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,040 in Saint Ann's Bay and $1,870 in Phuket 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 Saint Ann's Bay and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $495 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $619 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $230 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Saint Ann's Bay or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $50.0 in Saint Ann's Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Saint Ann's Bay or Phuket?
At $1,247 in Phuket versus $1,360 in Saint Ann's Bay, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint Ann's Bay. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Saint Ann's Bay or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Saint Ann's Bay, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Saint Ann's Bay or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Saint Ann's Bay and Phuket 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 9% less than in Saint Ann's Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Saint Ann's Bay vs other spots: cost of living compared