🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $876 in Saint-Louis versus $1,253 in Phuket.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,385 in Saint-Louis versus $2,043 in Phuket.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,895 in Saint-Louis versus $2,833 in Phuket.
🌍Living in Saint-Louis costs roughly 30% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.
📊Both cities sit below the global median: Saint-Louis36% lower, Phuket9% lower.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.48F CFA 1,962
$4.56฿150
-23.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$55.7F CFA 31.4K
$32.62฿1,073
70.66%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$11.74F CFA 6,615
$8.90฿293
31.91%
Cappuccino
$3.44F CFA 1,940
$2.80฿92.2
22.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25F CFA 704
$0.88฿28.94
42.05%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.87F CFA 493
$0.49฿16.08
77.55%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.83F CFA 1,033
$2.39฿78.5
-23.43%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.40F CFA 2,478
$3.71฿122
18.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.78F CFA 1,568
$1.79฿58.8
55.31%
White Bread(500g)
$0.28F CFA 158
$1.44฿47.40
-80.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.74F CFA 978
$1.58฿52.1
10.13%
Eggs
$2.60F CFA 1,465
$2.13฿69.9
22.07%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.34F CFA 9,775
$19.92฿655
-12.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$9.58F CFA 5,397
$3.43฿113
179.30%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.41F CFA 6,432
$11.33฿372
0.71%
Apples(1kg)
$3.26F CFA 1,835
$2.95฿97.0
10.51%
Banana(1kg)
$1.91F CFA 1,078
$1.72฿56.6
11.05%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.99F CFA 1,684
$2.32฿76.5
28.88%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.80F CFA 1,017
$2.08฿68.4
-13.46%
Potato(1kg)
$1.38F CFA 778
$1.47฿48.34
-6.12%
Onion(1kg)
$1.05F CFA 592
$1.36฿44.65
-22.79%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.19F CFA 670
$1.10฿36.13
8.18%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73F CFA 413
$0.57฿18.89
28.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28F CFA 1,284
$4.27฿140
-46.60%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.65F CFA 9,947
$18.42฿606
-4.18%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61F CFA 905
$1.87฿61.5
-13.90%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.40F CFA 1,918
$2.92฿96.1
16.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
-
$2.22฿73.0
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$22.90฿753
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.93F CFA 526
$3.03฿99.6
-69.31%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.18F CFA 1,226
$1.07฿35.32
103.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$17.55F CFA 9,891
$3.93฿129
346.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.68F CFA 945
$1.49฿49.06
12.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$52.0KF CFA 29.3M
$27.1K฿892.0K
91.50%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$50.4KF CFA 28.4M
$27.5K฿902.6K
83.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$209F CFA 117.6K
$103฿3,380
103.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.91F CFA 6,712
$10.99฿361
8.37%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.07F CFA 27.1K
$17.51฿576
174.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
-
$53.5฿1,760
-
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.20฿368
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.99F CFA 5,066
$7.48฿246
20.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$316F CFA 178.2K
$557฿18.3K
-43.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.8KF CFA 6.1M
$11.9K฿389.7K
-9.01%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$60.4F CFA 34.0K
$64.1฿2,107
-5.81%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.08F CFA 27.1K
$29.07฿956
65.39%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.9F CFA 50.1K
$96.0฿3,155
-7.38%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101F CFA 56.7K
$90.3฿2,970
11.30%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$450F CFA 253.5K
$730฿24.0K
-38.41%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$500฿16.4K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
-
$2,090฿68.7K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
-
$1,209฿39.8K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$3,596฿118.2K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
-
$2,512฿82.6K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$503฿16.6K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
8.75
5.57
57.09%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Saint-Louis: September 1, 2026
Last update for Phuket: August 31, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $450 in Saint-Louis and $730 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $56.0 in Saint-Louis vs $33.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 vs $273 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-Louis vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Saint-Louis?
Saint-Louis is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,313 in Saint-Louis and $1,880 in Phuket to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
What is the rent difference between Saint-Louis and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $450 in Saint-Louis versus $730 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $316 in Saint-Louis versus $557 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is eating out cheaper in Saint-Louis or in Phuket?
Dining out is cheaper in Saint-Louis – a meal for two runs $56.0 versus $33.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Saint-Louis or in Phuket?
At $876 in Saint-Louis versus $1,253 in Phuket, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Saint-Louis but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Saint-Louis the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Saint-Louis or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Saint-Louis is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Phuket, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Saint-Louis or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Saint-Louis 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 Saint-Louis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Saint-Louis vs other spots: cost of living compared