😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,616 in Saint-Leu versus $1,264 in Phuket.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,490 in Saint-Leu versus $2,256 in Phuket.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,365 in Saint-Leu versus $3,248 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Saint-Leu is roughly 28% more expensive than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Saint-Leu is 21% above, Phuket is 5% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint-Leu
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$28.36€24.56
$4.48฿150
533.04%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$93.7€81.2
$45.59฿1,521
105.55%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
-
$8.76฿292
-
Cappuccino
$2.82€2.44
$2.97฿99.0
-5.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.69฿22.90
-
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.18€1.02
$0.39฿13.04
202.56%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$8.31€7.20
$2.53฿84.4
228.46%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.73€4.96
$3.75฿125
52.80%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint-Leu
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.14€0.99
$2.15฿71.6
-46.98%
White Bread(500g)
$1.30€1.12
$1.82฿60.6
-28.57%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.30€1.99
$2.18฿72.9
5.50%
Eggs
$4.73€4.10
$2.25฿75.0
110.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$23.36€20.23
$20.00฿667
16.80%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
-
$3.63฿121
-
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$13.56฿452
-
Apples(1kg)
$3.49€3.02
$3.24฿108
7.72%
Banana(1kg)
$1.76€1.52
$1.64฿54.6
7.32%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.27€1.96
$2.33฿77.8
-2.58%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.52€3.05
$2.07฿69.1
70.05%
Potato(1kg)
$2.27€1.97
$1.55฿51.6
46.45%
Onion(1kg)
$2.34€2.03
$1.46฿48.54
60.27%
Lettuce(1 head)
-
$0.98฿32.86
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.90€0.78
$0.48฿16.09
87.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$14.90€12.90
$4.35฿145
242.53%
Wine(Bottle)
$5.60€4.85
$18.57฿620
-69.84%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.69€1.46
$1.86฿61.9
-9.14%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.65฿88.6
-
🚌 Getting Around
Saint-Leu
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.29€1.98
$1.42฿47.28
61.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$46.48€40.25
$11.57฿386
301.73%
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)
$1.60€1.38
$1.34฿44.84
19.40%
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
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint-Leu
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$99.8€86.4
$123฿4,105
-18.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.43€9.03
$13.77฿459
-24.26%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$34.54€29.91
$18.33฿611
88.43%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint-Leu
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$34.40€29.79
$60.7฿2,025
-43.32%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.16฿573
-
Cinema Ticket
$10.29€8.91
$8.87฿296
16.01%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint-Leu
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
-
$688฿22.9K
-
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$15.8K฿526.4K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint-Leu
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$59.3฿1,978
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$34.69฿1,157
-
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
-
$115฿3,843
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$83.8฿2,794
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint-Leu
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,141€988
$621฿20.7K
83.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$819€709
$446฿14.9K
83.62%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,092€1,812
$2,034฿67.8K
2.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,409€1,220
$1,496฿49.9K
-5.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,455฿115.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,531฿84.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint-Leu
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$2,057€1,781
$494฿16.5K
316.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4
5.33
-24.95%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Saint-Leu: July 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: July 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,141 in Saint-Leu and $621 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Saint-Leu pays 317% 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: $94.0 in Saint-Leu vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $219 vs $291, with Saint-Leu 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-Leu vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Saint-Leu?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Saint-Leu or Phuket?
Average pay runs 317% higher in Saint-Leu, 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-Leu and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,141 in Saint-Leu versus $621 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Is eating out cheaper in Saint-Leu or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Phuket – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $94.0 in Saint-Leu. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Phuket runs roughly 302% less than in Saint-Leu. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Saint-Leu or in Phuket?
At $1,264 in Phuket versus $1,616 in Saint-Leu, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saint-Leu. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Saint-Leu or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Saint-Leu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Saint-Leu or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Saint-Leu 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 – expenses run 28% less than in Saint-Leu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.