ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,671 in Saint John's versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,722 in Saint John's versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,772 in Saint John's versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Saint John's is roughly 36% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Saint John's is 25% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Saint John's
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.82EC$37.32
$4.63āļŋ151
198.49%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$83.1EC$224
$46.84āļŋ1,532
77.33%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$10.94EC$29.55
$8.84āļŋ289
23.76%
Cappuccino
$4.00EC$10.81
$3.00āļŋ98.0
33.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05EC$5.53
$0.74āļŋ24.25
177.03%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91EC$2.47
$0.37āļŋ11.95
145.95%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.83EC$4.95
$2.44āļŋ79.8
-25.00%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.35EC$11.76
$3.61āļŋ118
20.50%
ð Groceries & Markets
Saint John's
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.24EC$6.05
$2.26āļŋ73.9
-0.88%
White Bread(500g)
$2.83EC$7.64
$1.84āļŋ60.1
53.80%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.90EC$5.12
$2.24āļŋ73.4
-15.18%
Eggs
$5.35EC$14.44
$2.32āļŋ75.7
130.60%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.24EC$22.25
$19.67āļŋ643
-58.11%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.21EC$22.17
$3.65āļŋ119
124.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$13.10āļŋ428
-
Apples(1kg)
$6.51EC$17.57
$3.39āļŋ111
92.04%
Banana(1kg)
$2.40EC$6.49
$1.64āļŋ53.7
46.34%
Oranges(1kg)
$8.06EC$21.77
$2.41āļŋ79.0
234.44%
Tomato(1kg)
$8.21EC$22.17
$2.03āļŋ66.4
304.43%
Potato(1kg)
$2.88EC$7.78
$1.56āļŋ50.9
84.62%
Onion(1kg)
$2.93EC$7.92
$1.50āļŋ48.94
95.33%
Lettuce(1 head)
$2.62EC$7.06
$1.02āļŋ33.50
156.86%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.80EC$4.87
$0.49āļŋ16.00
267.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
-
$4.45āļŋ145
-
Wine(Bottle)
$9.17EC$24.77
$18.88āļŋ617
-51.43%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.68EC$7.24
$1.78āļŋ58.1
50.56%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.77EC$10.18
$2.75āļŋ90.1
37.09%
ð Getting Around
Saint John's
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.04EC$2.80
$1.40āļŋ45.81
-25.71%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$11.48āļŋ376
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$5.43EC$14.67
$3.12āļŋ102
74.04%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$5.70EC$15.39
$1.00āļŋ32.67
470.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$19.66EC$53.1
$14.09āļŋ461
39.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.75EC$4.72
$1.35āļŋ44.19
29.63%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.1KEC$65.2K
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
-11.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.7KEC$55.9K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
-37.16%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint John's
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$130EC$352
$125āļŋ4,087
4.35%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$40.98EC$111
$13.57āļŋ444
201.99%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.1EC$195
$18.52āļŋ606
289.47%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Saint John's
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$64.4EC$174
$61.5āļŋ2,010
4.81%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$36.92EC$99.7
$16.84āļŋ551
119.24%
Cinema Ticket
$6.05EC$16.34
$9.19āļŋ300
-34.17%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Saint John's
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$698āļŋ22.8K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,831EC$4,945
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
-88.25%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Saint John's
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$57.8āļŋ1,889
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$35.24āļŋ1,152
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$73.4EC$198
$113āļŋ3,699
-35.10%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$86.4āļŋ2,825
-
ð Accommodation & Living
Saint John's
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,108EC$2,992
$616āļŋ20.1K
79.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$752EC$2,030
$446āļŋ14.6K
68.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,645EC$4,442
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
-19.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,494EC$4,035
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
0.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
-
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Saint John's
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,361EC$3,675
$524āļŋ17.1K
159.84%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.5
5.33
3.19%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Saint John's: April 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,108 in Saint John's and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ð°Saint John's pays 160% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.
ðDining out: $83.0 in Saint John's vs $47.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $292 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's vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Saint John's?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Saint John's or Phuket?
Saint John's pays 160% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Saint John's and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,108 in Saint John's versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Saint John's and Phuket?
Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Saint John's. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Saint John's or Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket â a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $83.0 in Saint John's. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Saint John's or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,671 in Saint John's, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint John's. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Saint John's or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Saint John's, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Saint John's or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Saint John's 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Phuket gentler on the wallet â expenses run 36% less than in Saint John's. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Saint John's vs other spots: cost of living compared