🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,029 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $1,265 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,626 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $2,089 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,223 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $2,913 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Saint Ann's Bay costs roughly 19% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Saint Ann's Bay25% lower, Phuket8% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$15.54JMD 2,441
$4.66฿154
233.48%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$49.54JMD 7,781
$32.22฿1,065
53.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.64JMD 1,357
$8.68฿287
-0.46%
Cappuccino
$5.19JMD 815
$2.90฿95.8
78.97%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.20JMD 188
$0.84฿27.89
42.86%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.73JMD 114
$0.49฿16.16
48.98%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.26JMD 355
$2.48฿82.0
-8.87%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.10JMD 487
$3.73฿123
-16.89%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$4.21JMD 662
$1.89฿62.3
122.75%
White Bread(500g)
$3.84JMD 604
$1.41฿46.54
172.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.62JMD 254
$1.62฿53.6
-
Eggs
$3.52JMD 553
$2.24฿74.1
57.14%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.31JMD 1,776
$19.84฿656
-42.99%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$6.39JMD 1,003
$3.48฿115
83.62%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.43JMD 1,638
$11.37฿376
-8.27%
Apples(1kg)
$5.92JMD 929
$2.90฿95.8
104.14%
Banana(1kg)
$3.78JMD 594
$1.72฿57.0
119.77%
Oranges(1kg)
$7.59JMD 1,193
$2.27฿75.1
234.36%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.13JMD 491
$2.13฿70.4
46.95%
Potato(1kg)
$3.29JMD 516
$1.47฿48.72
123.81%
Onion(1kg)
$2.63JMD 413
$1.42฿46.92
85.21%
Lettuce(1 head)
$3.03JMD 476
$1.10฿36.25
175.45%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.47JMD 231
$0.60฿19.76
145.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.37JMD 1,472
$4.31฿142
117.40%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.52JMD 1,809
$18.60฿615
-38.06%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.92JMD 459
$1.80฿59.5
62.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91JMD 614
$2.97฿98.0
31.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.25฿74.2
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$23.49฿776
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.17JMD 184
$3.10฿102
-62.26%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$3.12JMD 491
$1.08฿35.56
188.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.38JMD 1,002
$3.87฿128
64.86%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.32JMD 207
$1.43฿47.16
-7.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.9KJMD 7.1M
$27.8K฿918.0K
61.56%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5KJMD 5.1M
$27.0K฿891.5K
20.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$178JMD 28.0K
$105฿3,462
70.24%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.66JMD 4,659
$11.39฿376
160.40%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$53.6JMD 8,426
$17.54฿580
205.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$54.3฿1,795
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.44฿378
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.17JMD 2,069
$7.78฿257
69.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$356JMD 55.9K
$576฿19.0K
-38.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,294JMD 1.3M
$11.6K฿382.7K
-28.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.11JMD 3,787
$63.6฿2,103
-62.12%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.22JMD 5,061
$29.10฿961
10.72%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.9JMD 12.1K
$96.2฿3,179
-20.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101JMD 15.9K
$90.0฿2,974
12.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$733฿24.2K
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$501฿16.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,126฿70.2K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,252฿41.4K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,534฿116.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,622฿86.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint Ann's Bay
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$508฿16.8K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.45
5.57
69.66%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Saint Ann's Bay: September 7, 2026
Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🛒Dining out: $50.0 in Saint Ann's Bay vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $387 vs $275 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?
Saint Ann's Bay is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,544 in Saint Ann's Bay and $1,898 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.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $356 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $576 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 Saint Ann's Bay – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Saint Ann's Bay or in Phuket?
At $1,029 in Saint Ann's Bay versus $1,265 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Saint Ann's Bay but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Saint Ann's Bay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Saint Ann's Bay or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Saint Ann's Bay is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, 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 Saint Ann's Bay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Phuket. 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