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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $783 in Saint-Louis versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,274 in Saint-Louis versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,765 in Saint-Louis versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Saint-Louis costs roughly 37% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint-Louis 41% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 F CFA 1,996

$4.55 ฿153

-23.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.0 F CFA 30.4K

$46.18 ฿1,554

14.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.20 F CFA 5,848

$8.84 ฿298

15.38%

Cappuccino

$4.59 F CFA 2,633

$3.06 ฿103

50.00%

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

$0.92 F CFA 529

$0.73 ฿24.42

26.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 F CFA 606

$0.40 ฿13.40

165.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 F CFA 1,037

$2.43 ฿81.8

-25.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 F CFA 2,565

$3.78 ฿127

18.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.64 F CFA 1,513

$2.26 ฿76.0

16.81%

White Bread (500g)

$0.27 F CFA 156

$1.81 ฿60.9

-85.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.60 F CFA 917

$2.25 ฿75.8

-28.89%

Eggs

$2.71 F CFA 1,554

$2.25 ฿75.6

20.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.92 F CFA 7,409

$19.51 ฿656

-33.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.08 F CFA 5,209

$3.65 ฿123

148.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 F CFA 6,272

$13.05 ฿439

-16.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.74 F CFA 1,571

$3.23 ฿109

-15.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 F CFA 1,090

$1.62 ฿54.4

17.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.60 F CFA 1,492

$2.38 ฿80.2

9.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.08 F CFA 1,193

$2.03 ฿68.2

2.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 F CFA 857

$1.53 ฿51.6

-2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$1.35 F CFA 773

$1.50 ฿50.5

-10.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 F CFA 587

$0.98 ฿32.93

4.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 F CFA 390

$0.52 ฿17.40

30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.55 F CFA 887

$4.44 ฿149

-65.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.11 F CFA 9,816

$18.32 ฿616

-6.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 F CFA 684

$1.86 ฿62.7

-36.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 F CFA 1,337

$2.68 ฿90.2

-13.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.41 ฿47.49

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 F CFA 527

$3.11 ฿105

-70.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.85 F CFA 1,633

$1.04 ฿35.08

174.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.70 F CFA 10.2K

$14.11 ฿475

25.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.80 F CFA 1,030

$1.31 ฿44.13

37.40%

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

$36.0K F CFA 20.6M

$27.8K ฿936.0K

29.44%

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

$50.3K F CFA 28.8M

$33.2K ฿1.1M

51.35%

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

$140 F CFA 80.0K

$122 ฿4,120

13.98%

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

$9.72 F CFA 5,576

$13.59 ฿457

-28.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.1 F CFA 28.7K

$18.70 ฿629

167.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ฿2,035

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.06 F CFA 5,194

$9.07 ฿305

-0.11%

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

$267 F CFA 152.9K

$706 ฿23.8K

-62.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,248 F CFA 4.2M

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-54.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.6 F CFA 38.8K

$58.6 ฿1,970

15.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.90 F CFA 25.2K

$35.36 ฿1,190

24.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 F CFA 59.0K

$115 ฿3,885

-10.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 F CFA 73.6K

$83.7 ฿2,818

53.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 F CFA 254.0K

$626 ฿21.1K

-29.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ฿15.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,040 ฿68.7K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿50.2K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,483 ฿117.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,577 ฿86.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$500 ฿16.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.25

5.33

54.78%

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

Last update for Saint-Louis: July 11, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $443 in Saint-Louis and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Saint-Louis vs $46.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $273 vs $289, with Saint-Louis 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-Louis vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saint-Louis is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,174 in Saint-Louis and $1,875 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $443 in Saint-Louis versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $267 in Saint-Louis versus $706 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Saint-Louis – a meal for two runs $53.0 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $783 in Saint-Louis versus $1,250 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Saint-Louis gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.