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: $4,430 in Saint George versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,697 in Saint George versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,964 in Saint George versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Saint George is roughly 250% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint George is 231% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$59.5 BMD 59.5

$4.70 ฿153

1164.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$179 BMD 179

$45.37 ฿1,482

295.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.02 BMD 15.02

$8.43 ฿275

78.17%

Cappuccino

$6.32 BMD 6.32

$2.93 ฿95.6

115.70%

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

$3.50 BMD 3.50

$0.69 ฿22.40

407.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 BMD 2.86

$0.37 ฿11.99

672.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.80 BMD 9.80

$2.41 ฿78.6

306.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.74 BMD 8.74

$3.72 ฿122

134.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$4.54 BMD 4.54

$2.23 ฿72.9

103.59%

White Bread (500g)

$8.53 BMD 8.53

$1.83 ฿59.8

366.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.89 BMD 3.89

$2.17 ฿70.8

79.26%

Eggs

$7.49 BMD 7.49

$2.21 ฿72.3

238.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.65 BMD 7.65

$19.74 ฿645

-61.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.35 BMD 24.35

$3.63 ฿119

570.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.52 BMD 25.52

$13.53 ฿442

88.62%

Apples (1kg)

$10.21 BMD 10.21

$3.28 ฿107

211.28%

Banana (1kg)

$6.20 BMD 6.20

$1.61 ฿52.6

285.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.99 BMD 8.99

$2.41 ฿78.6

273.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.20 BMD 9.20

$2.08 ฿68.1

342.31%

Potato (1kg)

$8.42 BMD 8.42

$1.53 ฿49.93

450.33%

Onion (1kg)

$5.03 BMD 5.03

$1.48 ฿48.36

239.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.88 BMD 5.88

$0.99 ฿32.29

493.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.29 BMD 3.29

$0.51 ฿16.67

545.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.76 BMD 17.76

$4.41 ฿144

302.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.25 BMD 25.25

$19.38 ฿633

30.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.46 BMD 5.46

$1.78 ฿58.1

206.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.53 BMD 4.53

$2.71 ฿88.6

67.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.37 ฿44.79

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 BMD 6.24

$3.02 ฿98.6

106.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$53.6 BMD 53.6

$14.10 ฿461

279.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.30 BMD 2.30

$1.36 ฿44.51

69.12%

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

$35.5K BMD 35.5K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

25.88%

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

$39.6K BMD 39.6K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

20.22%

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

$238 BMD 238

$122 ฿3,975

95.51%

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

$120 BMD 120

$13.57 ฿443

782.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$153 BMD 153

$18.31 ฿598

737.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.6 BMD 99.6

$60.2 ฿1,967

65.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$76.3 BMD 76.3

$17.14 ฿560

345.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.36 BMD 13.36

$8.69 ฿284

53.74%

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

$1,338 BMD 1,338

$693 ฿22.6K

93.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.4K BMD 24.4K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

55.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$30.17 BMD 30.17

$59.5 ฿1,944

-49.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.1 BMD 61.1

$34.77 ฿1,136

75.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 BMD 136

$115 ฿3,743

18.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 BMD 125

$83.3 ฿2,720

49.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,513 BMD 2,513

$613 ฿20.0K

309.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,160 BMD 2,160

$437 ฿14.3K

394.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,778 BMD 3,778

$2,094 ฿68.4K

80.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,492 BMD 3,492

$1,509 ฿49.3K

131.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,749 ฿122.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,616 ฿85.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$508 ฿16.6K

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,513 in Saint George and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $179 in Saint George vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $753 vs $293 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 250% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $6,646 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: $2,513 in Saint George versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,338 in Saint George versus $693 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 $45.00 versus $179 in Saint George. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $4,430 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 250% less than in Saint George. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.