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: $5,829 in Saint John Island versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $7,948 in Saint John Island versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $10.1K in Saint John Island versus $3,329 in Phuket.

Living in Saint John Island is roughly 361% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint John Island is 335% above, Phuket is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.96 $30.96

$4.70 ฿153

558.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$147 $147

$45.37 ฿1,482

224.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 $14.88

$8.43 ฿275

76.51%

Cappuccino

$8.87 $8.87

$2.93 ฿95.6

202.73%

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

$3.55 $3.55

$0.69 ฿22.40

414.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.47 $3.47

$0.37 ฿11.99

837.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 $5.12

$2.41 ฿78.6

112.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.88 $6.88

$3.72 ฿122

84.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.23 ฿72.9

38.12%

White Bread (500g)

$7.88 $7.88

$1.83 ฿59.8

330.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$12.18 $12.18

$2.17 ฿70.8

461.29%

Eggs

$11.90 $11.90

$2.21 ฿72.3

438.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$32.26 $32.26

$19.74 ฿645

63.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$32.64 $32.64

$3.63 ฿119

799.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.18 $24.18

$13.53 ฿442

78.71%

Apples (1kg)

$21.87 $21.87

$3.28 ฿107

566.77%

Banana (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$1.61 ฿52.6

153.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$17.54 $17.54

$2.41 ฿78.6

627.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$11.92 $11.92

$2.08 ฿68.1

473.08%

Potato (1kg)

$7.53 $7.53

$1.53 ฿49.93

392.16%

Onion (1kg)

$7.59 $7.59

$1.48 ฿48.36

412.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$4.88 $4.88

$0.99 ฿32.29

392.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$0.51 ฿16.67

574.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.24 $9.24

$4.41 ฿144

109.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.16 $23.16

$19.38 ฿633

19.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.48 $4.48

$1.78 ฿58.1

151.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.04 $6.04

$2.71 ฿88.6

122.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.12 $7.12

$1.37 ฿44.79

419.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$151 $151

$11.39 ฿372

1222.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$30.30 $30.30

$3.02 ฿98.6

903.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 ฿32.48

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.10 ฿461

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.36 ฿44.51

16.18%

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

$47.1K $47.1K

$28.2K ฿921.1K

67.05%

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

$53.2K $53.2K

$32.9K ฿1.1M

61.80%

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

$298 $298

$122 ฿3,975

144.53%

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

$100 $100

$13.57 ฿443

637.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$102 $102

$18.31 ฿598

456.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 ฿1,967

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$693 ฿22.6K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.7K ฿512.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 $80.3

$59.5 ฿1,944

34.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 $50.6

$34.77 ฿1,136

45.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.7 $85.7

$115 ฿3,743

-25.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.6 $99.6

$83.3 ฿2,720

19.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,934 $3,934

$613 ฿20.0K

541.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,471 $3,471

$437 ฿14.3K

694.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,904 $4,904

$2,094 ฿68.4K

134.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,533 $4,533

$1,509 ฿49.3K

200.34%

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)

$4,505 $4,505

$508 ฿16.6K

786.58%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,934 in Saint John Island and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John Island pays 787% 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: $147 in Saint John Island vs $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $981 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 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 361% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Saint John Island pays 787% more on average, 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: $3,934 in Saint John Island versus $613 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 $45.00 versus $147 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 1222% less than in Saint John Island. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,265 in Phuket versus $5,829 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 361% less than in Saint John Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.