Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John Island and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John Island and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $5,712 in Saint John Island versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,781 in Saint John Island versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,850 in Saint John Island versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Saint John Island is roughly 357% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint John Island is 328% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$31.58 $31.58

$4.55 ฿153

594.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$149 $149

$46.18 ฿1,554

222.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.14 $15.14

$8.84 ฿298

71.27%

Cappuccino

$8.98 $8.98

$3.06 ฿103

193.46%

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

$3.49 $3.49

$0.73 ฿24.42

378.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 $3.49

$0.40 ฿13.40

772.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.08 $5.08

$2.43 ฿81.8

109.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.84 $6.84

$3.78 ฿127

80.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.26 ฿76.0

36.73%

White Bread (500g)

$7.95 $7.95

$1.81 ฿60.9

339.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$11.83 $11.83

$2.25 ฿75.8

425.78%

Eggs

$11.80 $11.80

$2.25 ฿75.6

424.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.60 $32.60

$19.51 ฿656

67.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.88 $32.88

$3.65 ฿123

800.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.82 $23.82

$13.05 ฿439

82.53%

Apples (1kg)

$22.12 $22.12

$3.23 ฿109

584.83%

Banana (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$1.62 ฿54.4

150.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$17.56 $17.56

$2.38 ฿80.2

637.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.80 $11.80

$2.03 ฿68.2

481.28%

Potato (1kg)

$7.55 $7.55

$1.53 ฿51.6

393.46%

Onion (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$1.50 ฿50.5

402.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.92 $4.92

$0.98 ฿32.93

402.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$0.52 ฿17.40

557.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.17 $9.17

$4.44 ฿149

106.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.45 $23.45

$18.32 ฿616

28.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.41 $4.41

$1.86 ฿62.7

137.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.14 $6.14

$2.68 ฿90.2

129.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.98 $6.98

$1.41 ฿47.49

395.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$147 $147

$11.70 ฿394

1158.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$30.37 $30.37

$3.11 ฿105

876.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 ฿35.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.11 ฿475

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.31 ฿44.13

18.32%

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

$47.3K $47.3K

$27.8K ฿936.0K

70.15%

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

$52.0K $52.0K

$33.2K ฿1.1M

56.56%

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

$296 $296

$122 ฿4,120

141.47%

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

$101 $101

$13.59 ฿457

640.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 $102

$18.70 ฿629

444.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$706 ฿23.8K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿531.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.4 $79.4

$58.6 ฿1,970

35.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.85 $49.85

$35.36 ฿1,190

40.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 $84.2

$115 ฿3,885

-27.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.5 $99.5

$83.7 ฿2,818

18.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,935 $3,935

$626 ฿21.1K

529.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,468 $3,468

$445 ฿15.0K

679.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,992 $4,992

$2,040 ฿68.7K

144.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,538 $4,538

$1,492 ฿50.2K

204.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,537 $4,537

$500 ฿16.8K

807.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

31.33%

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

Last update for Saint John Island: July 14, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,935 in Saint John Island and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John Island pays 808% 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: $149 in Saint John Island vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $982 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 John Island vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Clothing & Footwear. The 357% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 808% higher in Saint John Island, 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: $3,935 in Saint John Island versus $626 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 $46.00 versus $149 in Saint John Island. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 1158% less than in Saint John Island. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,250 in Phuket versus $5,712 in Saint John Island, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint John Island. 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 John Island, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Saint John Island 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 357% less than in Saint John Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.