Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint-Louis and Phuket

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint-Louis: $837 a month against $1,208 in Phuket, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Saint-Louis
🇸🇳 Senegal
$837
/mo nomad
Phuket
🇹🇭 Thailand
$1,208
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint-Louis and in Phuket

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Saint-Louis and in Phuket actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $837 in Saint-Louis versus $1,208 in Phuket.

  • Saint-Louis $837
  • Phuket $1,208

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,315 in Saint-Louis versus $2,027 in Phuket.

  • Saint-Louis $1,315
  • Phuket $2,027

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,792 in Saint-Louis versus $2,845 in Phuket.

  • Saint-Louis $1,792
  • Phuket $2,845

Living in Saint-Louis costs roughly 31% less than in Phuket, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saint-Louis 38% lower, Phuket 11% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.45 F CFA 2,009
$4.40 ฿147
-21.59%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.3 F CFA 31.1K
$32.26 ฿1,078
65.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.12 F CFA 6,484
$8.76 ฿293
26.94%
Cappuccino
$3.34 F CFA 1,950
$2.83 ฿94.5
18.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 F CFA 725
$0.90 ฿30.14
37.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 F CFA 529
$0.47 ฿15.56
93.62%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.68 F CFA 982
$2.55 ฿85.2
-34.12%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 F CFA 2,545
$3.83 ฿128
14.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.59 F CFA 1,509
$1.73 ฿57.7
49.71%
White Bread (500g)
$0.27 F CFA 158
$1.47 ฿49.11
-81.63%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.65 F CFA 963
$1.51 ฿50.6
9.27%
Eggs
$2.40 F CFA 1,399
$2.17 ฿72.7
10.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.50 F CFA 10.2K
$19.70 ฿658
-11.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.12 F CFA 5,315
$3.34 ฿112
173.05%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.94 F CFA 6,378
$11.16 ฿373
-1.97%
Apples (1kg)
$3.24 F CFA 1,888
$2.85 ฿95.1
13.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.85 F CFA 1,079
$1.70 ฿56.9
8.82%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.97 F CFA 1,729
$2.19 ฿73.3
35.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.79 F CFA 1,042
$2.05 ฿68.4
-12.68%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 F CFA 791
$1.45 ฿48.57
-6.21%
Onion (1kg)
$0.92 F CFA 535
$1.38 ฿46.16
-33.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.09 F CFA 636
$1.07 ฿35.69
1.87%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.68 F CFA 397
$0.51 ฿16.91
33.33%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.18 F CFA 1,272
$4.26 ฿142
-48.83%
Wine (Bottle)
$17.00 F CFA 9,911
$18.58 ฿621
-8.50%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 F CFA 891
$1.78 ฿59.7
-14.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.33 F CFA 1,942
$2.85 ฿95.2
16.84%
🚌 Getting Around
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$2.26 ฿75.6
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$22.10 ฿738
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.86 F CFA 502
$3.01 ฿101
-71.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.19 F CFA 1,279
$1.06 ฿35.34
106.60%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.98 F CFA 9,899
$3.86 ฿129
339.90%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.61 F CFA 939
$1.45 ฿48.45
11.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$50.3K F CFA 29.3M
$26.3K ฿879.9K
91.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$47.3K F CFA 27.6M
$26.9K ฿900.4K
75.71%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$204 F CFA 118.8K
$96.4 ฿3,221
111.42%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.80 F CFA 6,883
$11.04 ฿369
6.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$45.79 F CFA 26.7K
$17.14 ฿573
167.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$52.2 ฿1,744
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$11.16 ฿373
-
Cinema Ticket
$8.37 F CFA 4,882
$7.81 ฿261
7.17%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$326 F CFA 189.9K
$556 ฿18.6K
-41.44%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$10.2K F CFA 6.0M
$11.6K ฿387.0K
-11.82%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.2 F CFA 34.5K
$64.2 ฿2,146
-7.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.50 F CFA 27.1K
$28.69 ฿959
62.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$84.5 F CFA 49.3K
$95.4 ฿3,187
-11.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$98.7 F CFA 57.6K
$88.0 ฿2,940
12.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$433 F CFA 252.2K
$737 ฿24.6K
-41.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$462 ฿15.5K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,095 ฿70.0K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,201 ฿40.1K
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$3,488 ฿116.6K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,523 ฿84.3K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Saint-Louis
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$501 ฿16.7K
-
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: October 18, 2026

Last update for Phuket: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Saint-Louis
$290
Phuket
$269 7.5% $22
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saint-Louis
$261
Phuket
$125 52.3% $137
Clothing & Footwear
Saint-Louis
$130
Phuket
$124 4.4% $5.7
Eating Out
Saint-Louis
$127
Phuket
$121 4.4% $5.6
Sport & Entertainment
Saint-Louis
$17 *
Phuket
$68 305% $51
Getting Around
Saint-Louis
$12 *
Phuket
$39 233% $28
Accommodation & Living
Saint-Louis
- *
Phuket
$462

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $433 in Saint-Louis and $737 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $53.0 in Saint-Louis vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $269 per month, with Phuket cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇳 Saint-Louis
🇹🇭 Phuket
🕒 Local time
10:49 10:49 AM
17:49 5:49 PM
7 h ahead of Saint-Louis
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
176,000
79,308
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to XOF – West African CFA Franc Converter

West African CFA Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 583 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 656 XOF (1,000 XOF = 1.53 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Saint-Louis Phuket 12,370 km ≈ 16 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Saint-Louis
  • Phuket

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 leisure and transport. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $1,256 in Saint-Louis and $1,813 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: $433 in Saint-Louis versus $737 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $326 in Saint-Louis versus $556 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 $53.0 versus $32.00 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 $837 in Saint-Louis versus $1,208 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 44% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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