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: $4,385 in Saint George versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,584 in Saint George versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,782 in Saint George versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Saint George is roughly 251% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint George is 228% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$60.4 BMD 60.4

$4.55 ฿153

1227.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$181 BMD 181

$46.18 ฿1,553

291.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.25 BMD 15.25

$8.84 ฿297

72.51%

Cappuccino

$6.41 BMD 6.41

$3.06 ฿103

109.48%

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

$3.48 BMD 3.48

$0.73 ฿24.40

376.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 BMD 2.96

$0.40 ฿13.39

640.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.95 BMD 9.95

$2.43 ฿81.8

309.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.64 BMD 8.64

$3.78 ฿127

128.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.32 BMD 4.32

$2.26 ฿76.0

91.15%

White Bread (500g)

$8.95 BMD 8.95

$1.81 ฿60.9

394.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.97 BMD 3.97

$2.25 ฿75.8

76.44%

Eggs

$7.35 BMD 7.35

$2.25 ฿75.5

226.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.71 BMD 7.71

$19.51 ฿656

-60.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.26 BMD 24.26

$3.65 ฿123

564.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.65 BMD 25.65

$13.05 ฿439

96.55%

Apples (1kg)

$10.19 BMD 10.19

$3.23 ฿109

215.48%

Banana (1kg)

$6.41 BMD 6.41

$1.62 ฿54.4

295.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.94 BMD 8.94

$2.38 ฿80.1

275.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.45 BMD 9.45

$2.03 ฿68.1

365.52%

Potato (1kg)

$8.47 BMD 8.47

$1.53 ฿51.6

453.59%

Onion (1kg)

$5.22 BMD 5.22

$1.50 ฿50.5

248.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$6.10 BMD 6.10

$0.98 ฿32.91

522.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.28 BMD 3.28

$0.52 ฿17.39

530.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.81 BMD 17.81

$4.44 ฿149

301.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.83 BMD 24.83

$18.32 ฿616

35.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.30 BMD 5.30

$1.86 ฿62.7

184.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 BMD 4.38

$2.68 ฿90.1

63.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿393

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 BMD 6.39

$3.11 ฿105

105.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.06

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.6 BMD 53.6

$14.11 ฿474

279.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.37 BMD 2.37

$1.31 ฿44.10

80.92%

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

$35.0K BMD 35.0K

$27.8K ฿935.4K

25.70%

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

$39.4K BMD 39.4K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

18.72%

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

$239 BMD 239

$122 ฿4,118

94.80%

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

$119 BMD 119

$13.59 ฿457

774.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$156 BMD 156

$18.70 ฿629

735.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.9 BMD 98.9

$60.5 ฿2,034

63.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$75.7 BMD 75.7

$16.98 ฿571

345.70%

Cinema Ticket

$13.74 BMD 13.74

$9.07 ฿305

51.49%

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

$1,313 BMD 1,313

$706 ฿23.8K

85.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.9K BMD 24.9K

$15.8K ฿531.5K

57.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.41 BMD 29.41

$58.6 ฿1,969

-49.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.6 BMD 59.6

$35.36 ฿1,189

68.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$139 BMD 139

$115 ฿3,883

20.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 BMD 127

$83.7 ฿2,816

51.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 BMD 2,508

$626 ฿21.0K

300.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,183 BMD 2,183

$445 ฿15.0K

390.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,688 BMD 3,688

$2,040 ฿68.6K

80.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,417 BMD 3,417

$1,492 ฿50.2K

129.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.1K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

5.33

21.95%

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

Last update for Saint George: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Saint George and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $181 in Saint George vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $756 vs $289 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 251% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $6,578 in Saint George and $1,875 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: $2,508 in Saint George versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,313 in Saint George versus $706 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 $46.00 versus $181 in Saint George. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $4,385 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 251% less than in Saint George. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.