Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Ann's Bay and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Ann's Bay and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,348 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,019 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,690 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Saint Ann's Bay is roughly 7% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint Ann's Bay is 1% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.54 JMD 1,186
$4.48 ฿150
68.30%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.85 JMD 7,840
$45.59 ฿1,525
9.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.82 JMD 1,387
$8.76 ฿293
0.68%
Cappuccino
$4.41 JMD 694
$2.97 ฿99.3
48.48%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.35 JMD 213
$0.69 ฿22.96
95.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 JMD 118
$0.39 ฿13.07
92.31%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.45 JMD 385
$2.53 ฿84.7
-3.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 JMD 484
$3.75 ฿125
-17.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$4.30 JMD 676
$2.15 ฿71.8
100.00%
White Bread (500g)
$2.75 JMD 433
$1.82 ฿60.7
51.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.55 JMD 244
$2.18 ฿73.1
-28.90%
Eggs
$3.61 JMD 568
$2.25 ฿75.2
60.44%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.08 JMD 1,743
$20.00 ฿669
-44.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.30 JMD 990
$3.63 ฿121
73.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.51 JMD 1,181
$13.56 ฿453
-44.62%
Apples (1kg)
$6.15 JMD 967
$3.24 ฿109
89.81%
Banana (1kg)
$3.09 JMD 485
$1.64 ฿54.7
88.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.20 JMD 660
$2.33 ฿78.0
80.26%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.00 JMD 471
$2.07 ฿69.3
44.93%
Potato (1kg)
$2.05 JMD 322
$1.55 ฿51.8
32.26%
Onion (1kg)
$2.00 JMD 314
$1.46 ฿48.67
36.99%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.11 JMD 489
$0.98 ฿32.94
217.35%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.11 JMD 174
$0.48 ฿16.13
131.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.98 JMD 1,413
$4.35 ฿146
106.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.45 JMD 1,801
$18.57 ฿621
-38.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.88 JMD 454
$1.86 ฿62.1
54.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10 JMD 488
$2.65 ฿88.8
16.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$1.42 ฿47.40
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$11.57 ฿387
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.92 JMD 145
$3.17 ฿106
-70.98%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.13 JMD 493
$1.03 ฿34.51
203.88%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.22 JMD 979
$13.89 ฿465
-55.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.28 JMD 202
$1.34 ฿44.96
-4.48%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K JMD 3.7M
$27.8K ฿929.6K
-14.44%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.4K JMD 2.7M
$33.4K ฿1.1M
-47.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$164 JMD 25.8K
$123 ฿4,116
33.49%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.88 JMD 3,441
$13.77 ฿461
58.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.1 JMD 8,033
$18.33 ฿613
178.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$60.7 ฿2,030
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.16 ฿574
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.38 JMD 2,104
$8.87 ฿297
50.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$223 JMD 35.1K
$688 ฿23.0K
-67.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$2,512 JMD 395.1K
$15.8K ฿527.8K
-84.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$26.02 JMD 4,092
$59.3 ฿1,984
-56.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.86 JMD 4,068
$34.69 ฿1,160
-25.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.0 JMD 10.7K
$115 ฿3,853
-40.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.4 JMD 12.0K
$83.8 ฿2,802
-8.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$511 JMD 80.3K
$621 ฿20.8K
-17.79%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$476 JMD 74.9K
$446 ฿14.9K
6.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$991 JMD 155.9K
$2,034 ฿68.0K
-51.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$815 JMD 128.2K
$1,496 ฿50.0K
-45.54%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,455 ฿115.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,531 ฿84.7K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$494 ฿16.5K
-
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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Saint Ann's Bay and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $50.0 in Saint Ann's Bay vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $339 vs $291 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 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,022 in Saint Ann's Bay and $1,896 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: $511 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $223 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $688 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 in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 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 living in Saint Ann's Bay or in Phuket?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,348 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 7% less than in Saint Ann's Bay. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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