Cost of Living Comparison Between Saku and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Saku and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,119 in Saku versus $1,232 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,749 in Saku versus $2,054 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,378 in Saku versus $2,876 in Phuket.

Living in Saku costs roughly 9% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Saku 18% lower, Phuket 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.16 €14.87

$4.41 ฿147

289.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.8 €64.8

$32.26 ฿1,073

131.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.64 €10.08

$8.93 ฿297

30.35%

Cappuccino

$4.22 €3.66

$2.90 ฿96.3

45.52%

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

$2.14 €1.85

$0.88 ฿29.29

143.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 €1.89

$0.48 ฿16.01

356.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 €5.91

$2.35 ฿78.2

190.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.56 €5.69

$3.72 ฿124

76.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 €1.02

$1.87 ฿62.1

-36.90%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 €1.21

$1.47 ฿48.78

-5.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.36 €2.05

$1.55 ฿51.6

52.26%

Eggs

$3.09 €2.67

$2.10 ฿69.9

47.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.12 €9.64

$19.59 ฿652

-43.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.07 €7.86

$3.42 ฿114

165.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.08 €13.06

$11.38 ฿379

32.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 €1.92

$2.98 ฿99.3

-25.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 €1.28

$1.68 ฿56.1

-12.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.50 €2.16

$2.21 ฿73.5

13.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.09 €2.68

$2.16 ฿71.9

43.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.52 ฿50.7

-45.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 €0.72

$1.34 ฿44.52

-38.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.85 €1.60

$1.13 ฿37.55

63.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 €0.80

$0.55 ฿18.18

67.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.09 €6.14

$4.26 ฿142

66.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 €9.12

$19.09 ฿635

-44.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 €1.75

$1.78 ฿59.2

13.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 €1.85

$2.78 ฿92.6

-23.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.23 ฿74.2

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.74 ฿756

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 €3.14

$3.03 ฿101

19.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.05 €0.91

$1.02 ฿34.04

2.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.73 €24.03

$3.89 ฿129

612.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.90 €1.64

$1.49 ฿49.60

27.52%

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

$28.5K €24.7K

$26.6K ฿884.4K

7.39%

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

$32.2K €27.9K

$27.0K ฿899.3K

19.06%

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

$319 €277

$102 ฿3,409

211.47%

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

$18.03 €15.63

$11.33 ฿377

59.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.40 €28.94

$17.40 ฿579

91.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ฿1,733

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.07 ฿368

Cinema Ticket

$12.13 €10.51

$7.69 ฿256

57.74%

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

$449 €389

$561 ฿18.7K

-19.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K €9,367

$11.5K ฿382.8K

-6.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$108 €93.2

$63.0 ฿2,097

70.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 €43.85

$29.52 ฿982

71.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 €93.2

$98.0 ฿3,261

9.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 €109

$88.5 ฿2,944

41.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ฿24.6K

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$482 ฿16.0K

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 ฿70.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 ฿40.8K

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,144 €3,591

$3,617 ฿120.3K

14.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,811 €2,436

$2,603 ฿86.6K

7.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,865 €1,616

$494 ฿16.4K

277.86%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.53

5.57

-36.62%

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

Last update for Saku: September 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Saku pays 278% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $75.0 in Saku vs $32.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $275 vs $274 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

Saku vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Saku is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 278% higher in Saku, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $449 in Saku versus $561 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Saku – a meal for two runs $75.0 versus $32.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,119 in Saku versus $1,232 in Phuket, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Saku but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Saku the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Saku 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, Saku 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 Saku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.