Cost of Living Comparison Between Sal and Phuket Cost of Living Comparison Between Sal and Phuket

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $997 in Sal versus $1,250 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,518 in Sal versus $2,284 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,038 in Sal versus $3,317 in Phuket.

Living in Sal costs roughly 20% less than in Phuket, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Sal 25% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.72 CVE 552

$4.55 ฿153

25.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.66 CVE 4,500

$46.18 ฿1,554

1.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 CVE 712

$8.84 ฿298

-16.52%

Cappuccino

$2.37 CVE 229

$3.06 ฿103

-22.55%

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

$2.43 CVE 234

$0.73 ฿24.42

232.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 CVE 113

$0.40 ฿13.40

192.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 CVE 384

$2.43 ฿81.8

63.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 CVE 311

$3.78 ฿127

-14.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 CVE 142

$2.26 ฿76.0

-34.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.18 CVE 210

$1.81 ฿60.9

20.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.54 CVE 149

$2.25 ฿75.8

-31.56%

Eggs

$2.73 CVE 264

$2.25 ฿75.6

21.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.08 CVE 1,068

$19.51 ฿656

-43.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 CVE 803

$3.65 ฿123

127.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.37 CVE 1,579

$13.05 ฿439

25.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.82 CVE 272

$3.23 ฿109

-12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 CVE 246

$1.62 ฿54.4

57.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 CVE 286

$2.38 ฿80.2

24.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.05 CVE 390

$2.03 ฿68.2

99.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.62 CVE 156

$1.53 ฿51.6

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 CVE 192

$1.50 ฿50.5

32.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 CVE 180

$0.98 ฿32.93

89.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 CVE 107

$0.52 ฿17.40

113.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.74 CVE 457

$4.44 ฿149

6.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.65 CVE 641

$18.32 ฿616

-63.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.07 CVE 296

$1.86 ฿62.7

65.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 CVE 189

$2.68 ฿90.2

-26.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 CVE 100

$1.41 ฿47.49

-26.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.70 ฿394

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 CVE 205

$3.11 ฿105

-31.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.77 CVE 267

$1.04 ฿35.08

166.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$13.00 CVE 1,254

$14.11 ฿475

-7.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 CVE 143

$1.31 ฿44.13

12.98%

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

$27.8K ฿936.0K

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

$33.2K ฿1.1M

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

$91.3 CVE 8,808

$122 ฿4,120

-25.41%

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

$13.59 ฿457

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.0 CVE 5,402

$18.70 ฿629

199.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.94 CVE 3,370

$60.5 ฿2,035

-42.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.98 ฿572

Cinema Ticket

$9.07 ฿305

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

$146 CVE 14.0K

$706 ฿23.8K

-79.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,548 CVE 245.8K

$15.8K ฿531.8K

-83.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.14 CVE 3,003

$58.6 ฿1,970

-46.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.36 ฿1,190

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,885

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 CVE 14.0K

$83.7 ฿2,818

72.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$333 CVE 32.2K

$626 ฿21.1K

-46.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$294 CVE 28.4K

$445 ฿15.0K

-33.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$440 CVE 42.5K

$2,040 ฿68.7K

-78.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$388 CVE 37.4K

$1,492 ฿50.2K

-73.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$672 CVE 64.8K

$3,483 ฿117.2K

-80.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$343 CVE 33.1K

$2,577 ฿86.7K

-86.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$257 CVE 24.8K

$500 ฿16.8K

-48.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

5.33

15.76%

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

Last update for Sal: July 13, 2026

Last update for Phuket: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $333 in Sal and $626 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 95% 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: $47.00 in Sal vs $46.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $301 vs $289 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

Sal vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sal is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Phuket. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $333 in Sal versus $626 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $146 in Sal 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 Sal – a meal for two runs $47.00 versus $46.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $997 in Sal versus $1,250 in Phuket, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sal but tight or insufficient in Phuket. The gap between the two cities makes Sal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Sal 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, Sal 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 Sal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Phuket. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.