Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint George and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint George and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,850 in Saint George versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,059 in Saint George versus $2,089 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,268 in Saint George versus $2,913 in Phuket.

Living in Saint George is roughly 283% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint George is 252% above, Phuket is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$54.1 BMD 54.1

$4.66 ฿154

1060.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$148 BMD 148

$32.22 ฿1,065

360.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$17.06 BMD 17.06

$8.68 ฿287

96.54%

Cappuccino

$6.28 BMD 6.28

$2.90 ฿95.8

116.55%

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

$3.16 BMD 3.16

$0.84 ฿27.89

276.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 BMD 3.14

$0.49 ฿16.16

540.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 BMD 7.36

$2.48 ฿82.0

196.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.01 BMD 9.01

$3.73 ฿123

141.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.68 BMD 4.68

$1.89 ฿62.3

147.62%

White Bread (500g)

$8.49 BMD 8.49

$1.41 ฿46.54

502.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.94 BMD 3.94

$1.62 ฿53.6

143.21%

Eggs

$7.63 BMD 7.63

$2.24 ฿74.1

240.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 BMD 7.31

$19.84 ฿656

-63.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$23.00 BMD 23.00

$3.48 ฿115

560.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.34 BMD 25.34

$11.37 ฿376

122.87%

Apples (1kg)

$11.58 BMD 11.58

$2.90 ฿95.8

299.31%

Banana (1kg)

$6.70 BMD 6.70

$1.72 ฿57.0

289.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.88 BMD 8.88

$2.27 ฿75.1

291.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.59 BMD 9.59

$2.13 ฿70.4

350.23%

Potato (1kg)

$9.12 BMD 9.12

$1.47 ฿48.72

520.41%

Onion (1kg)

$10.85 BMD 10.85

$1.42 ฿46.92

664.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.62 BMD 6.62

$1.10 ฿36.25

501.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.64 BMD 3.64

$0.60 ฿19.76

506.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.83 BMD 17.83

$4.31 ฿142

313.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.92 BMD 24.92

$18.60 ฿615

33.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.05 BMD 5.05

$1.80 ฿59.5

180.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 BMD 4.43

$2.97 ฿98.0

49.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$23.49 ฿776

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 BMD 6.64

$3.10 ฿102

114.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.93 BMD 2.93

$1.08 ฿35.56

171.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$69.3 BMD 69.3

$3.87 ฿128

1690.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.44 BMD 2.44

$1.43 ฿47.16

70.63%

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

$38.2K BMD 38.2K

$27.8K ฿918.0K

37.31%

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

$41.8K BMD 41.8K

$27.0K ฿891.5K

54.96%

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

$250 BMD 250

$105 ฿3,462

138.47%

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

$146 BMD 146

$11.39 ฿376

1183.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$162 BMD 162

$17.54 ฿580

823.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.3 ฿1,795

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.44 ฿378

Cinema Ticket

$13.58 BMD 13.58

$7.78 ฿257

74.55%

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

$1,326 BMD 1,326

$576 ฿19.0K

129.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.2K BMD 25.2K

$11.6K ฿382.7K

117.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.4 BMD 88.4

$63.6 ฿2,103

38.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$71.2 BMD 71.2

$29.10 ฿961

144.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 BMD 143

$96.2 ฿3,179

48.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 BMD 127

$90.0 ฿2,974

40.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,062 BMD 3,062

$733 ฿24.2K

317.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,674 BMD 2,674

$501 ฿16.5K

433.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,924 BMD 4,924

$2,126 ฿70.2K

131.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,010 BMD 4,010

$1,252 ฿41.4K

220.24%

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)

$508 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.63

5.57

54.94%

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

Last update for Saint George: September 8, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,062 in Saint George and $733 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $148 in Saint George vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $776 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 George vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 283% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $7,275 in Saint George 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,062 in Saint George versus $733 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,326 in Saint George versus $576 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $148 in Saint George. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $4,850 in Saint George, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint George. 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 George, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Saint George 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 283% less than in Saint George. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.