Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Denis and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Denis and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,790 in Saint-Denis versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,309 in Saint-Denis versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,829 in Saint-Denis versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Saint-Denis is roughly 41% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint-Denis is 30% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.98 €12.05

$4.66 ฿154

200.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.6 €75.5

$32.22 ฿1,065

171.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.31 €13.20

$8.68 ฿287

76.38%

Cappuccino

$4.10 €3.53

$2.90 ฿95.8

41.38%

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

$3.15 €2.72

$0.84 ฿27.89

275.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 €3.09

$0.49 ฿16.16

632.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 €6.69

$2.48 ฿82.0

212.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.65 €4.87

$3.73 ฿123

51.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 €1.51

$1.89 ฿62.3

-6.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿46.54

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.09 €2.67

$1.62 ฿53.6

90.74%

Eggs

$4.85 €4.18

$2.24 ฿74.1

116.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.18 €18.26

$19.84 ฿656

6.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.80 €11.90

$3.48 ฿115

296.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.48 €29.72

$11.37 ฿376

203.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.90 ฿95.8

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿57.0

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 ฿75.1

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 €4.93

$2.13 ฿70.4

168.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 ฿48.72

Onion (1kg)

$4.77 €4.11

$1.42 ฿46.92

235.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 €1.98

$1.10 ฿36.25

109.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.60 ฿19.76

198.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.60 €10.00

$4.31 ฿142

169.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 €7.12

$18.60 ฿615

-55.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 €3.04

$1.80 ฿59.5

95.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 €2.97

$2.97 ฿98.0

15.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 €2.05

$2.25 ฿74.2

5.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$43.85 €37.80

$23.49 ฿776

86.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 ฿102

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.08 ฿35.56

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.87 ฿128

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿47.16

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

$27.8K ฿918.0K

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

$27.0K ฿891.5K

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

$153 €132

$105 ฿3,462

45.68%

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

$15.90 €13.70

$11.39 ฿376

39.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.94 €39.60

$17.54 ฿580

161.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.42 €29.67

$54.3 ฿1,795

-36.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.69 €11.80

$11.44 ฿378

19.67%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 €9.92

$7.78 ฿257

47.94%

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

$576 ฿19.0K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿382.7K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$160 €138

$63.6 ฿2,103

151.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.10 ฿961

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 €121

$96.2 ฿3,179

45.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 €99.6

$90.0 ฿2,974

28.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 €721

$733 ฿24.2K

14.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$592 €510

$501 ฿16.5K

18.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,533 €1,321

$2,126 ฿70.2K

-27.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,996 €1,720

$1,252 ฿41.4K

59.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,534 ฿116.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,622 ฿86.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,186 €1,884

$508 ฿16.8K

330.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.57

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

Last update for Saint-Denis: September 6, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $837 in Saint-Denis and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint-Denis pays 331% 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: $88.0 in Saint-Denis vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $395 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-Denis vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 331% higher in Saint-Denis, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $837 in Saint-Denis versus $733 in Phuket. 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 $32.00 versus $88.0 in Saint-Denis. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 87% less than in Saint-Denis. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $1,790 in Saint-Denis, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint-Denis. 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 Saint-Denis, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Saint-Denis 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.

Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Saint-Denis. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.