Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Joseph and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Joseph and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,551 in Saint-Joseph versus $1,264 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,210 in Saint-Joseph versus $2,256 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,869 in Saint-Joseph versus $3,248 in Phuket.

Living in Saint-Joseph is roughly 23% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Saint-Joseph is 17% above, Phuket is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.52 €9.98

$4.48 ฿150

157.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$58.1 €50.4

$45.59 ฿1,521

27.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.29 €8.91

$8.76 ฿292

17.47%

Cappuccino

$2.24 €1.94

$2.97 ฿99.0

-24.58%

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

$3.46 €3.00

$0.69 ฿22.90

401.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.96

$0.39 ฿13.04

479.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.52 €3.05

$2.53 ฿84.4

39.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 €3.91

$3.75 ฿125

20.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 €1.62

$2.15 ฿71.6

-12.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 €1.22

$1.82 ฿60.6

-22.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 ฿72.9

Eggs

$5.69 €4.92

$2.25 ฿75.0

152.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.90 €5.11

$20.00 ฿667

-70.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 €8.00

$3.63 ฿121

154.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.64 €15.28

$13.56 ฿452

30.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.24 ฿108

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿54.6

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 ฿77.8

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 ฿69.1

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 ฿51.6

Onion (1kg)

$3.42 €2.96

$1.46 ฿48.54

134.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 ฿32.86

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 €1.96

$0.48 ฿16.09

370.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.69 €15.32

$4.35 ฿145

306.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.32 €8.07

$18.57 ฿620

-49.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 €1.99

$1.86 ฿61.9

23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 €2.99

$2.65 ฿88.6

30.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.25 €1.95

$1.42 ฿47.28

58.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.96 €35.47

$11.57 ฿386

254.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.17 ฿106

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.03 ฿34.41

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.89 ฿463

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.26 €1.96

$1.34 ฿44.84

68.66%

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

$27.8K ฿927.1K

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

$33.4K ฿1.1M

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

$236 €204

$123 ฿4,105

91.39%

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

$13.77 ฿459

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.63 €39.52

$18.33 ฿611

148.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.78 €19.73

$60.7 ฿2,025

-62.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.16 ฿573

Cinema Ticket

$11.45 €9.91

$8.87 ฿296

29.09%

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

$688 ฿22.9K

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.8K ฿526.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 €60.4

$59.3 ฿1,978

17.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$23.39 €20.25

$34.69 ฿1,157

-32.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.5 €81.0

$115 ฿3,843

-18.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$175 €151

$83.8 ฿2,794

108.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$703 €609

$621 ฿20.7K

13.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$575 €498

$446 ฿14.9K

28.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 €914

$2,034 ฿67.8K

-48.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$802 €694

$1,496 ฿49.9K

-46.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,455 ฿115.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,531 ฿84.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,388 €1,202

$494 ฿16.5K

181.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

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

Last update for Saint-Joseph: July 26, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $703 in Saint-Joseph and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint-Joseph pays 181% 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: $58.0 in Saint-Joseph vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $243 vs $291, with Saint-Joseph cheaper for home cooking.

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-Joseph vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 181% higher in Saint-Joseph, 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: $703 in Saint-Joseph versus $621 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 $58.0 in Saint-Joseph. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 254% less than in Saint-Joseph. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,551 in Saint-Joseph, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint-Joseph. 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-Joseph, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Saint-Joseph 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 23% less than in Saint-Joseph. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.