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: $1,014 in Sal versus $1,265 in Phuket.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,540 in Sal versus $2,297 in Phuket.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,066 in Sal versus $3,329 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 24% lower, Phuket 6% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.80 CVE 549

$4.70 ฿153

23.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.87 CVE 4,437

$45.37 ฿1,482

3.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.28 CVE 690

$8.43 ฿275

-13.64%

Cappuccino

$2.28 CVE 216

$2.93 ฿95.6

-22.18%

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

$2.43 CVE 230

$0.69 ฿22.40

252.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 CVE 106

$0.37 ฿11.99

202.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.85 CVE 364

$2.41 ฿78.6

59.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 CVE 295

$3.72 ฿122

-16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 CVE 142

$2.23 ฿72.9

-32.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 CVE 210

$1.83 ฿59.8

21.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.55 CVE 147

$2.17 ฿70.8

-28.57%

Eggs

$2.87 CVE 272

$2.21 ฿72.3

29.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 CVE 1,048

$19.74 ฿645

-43.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 CVE 777

$3.63 ฿119

126.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.60 CVE 1,572

$13.53 ฿442

22.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 CVE 278

$3.28 ฿107

-10.67%

Banana (1kg)

$2.54 CVE 240

$1.61 ฿52.6

57.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.94 CVE 279

$2.41 ฿78.6

21.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.16 CVE 394

$2.08 ฿68.1

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 CVE 154

$1.53 ฿49.93

6.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 CVE 186

$1.48 ฿48.36

33.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 CVE 174

$0.99 ฿32.29

85.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 CVE 108

$0.51 ฿16.67

123.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.84 CVE 459

$4.41 ฿144

9.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.99 CVE 662

$19.38 ฿633

-63.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 CVE 283

$1.78 ฿58.1

67.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 CVE 187

$2.71 ฿88.6

-27.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.03 CVE 97.7

$1.37 ฿44.79

-24.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.39 ฿372

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.13 CVE 201

$3.02 ฿98.6

-29.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.83 CVE 268

$0.99 ฿32.48

185.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.83 CVE 1,214

$14.10 ฿461

-9.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 CVE 135

$1.36 ฿44.51

5.15%

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

$28.2K ฿921.1K

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

$32.9K ฿1.1M

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

$89.8 CVE 8,500

$122 ฿3,975

-26.23%

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

$13.57 ฿443

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.2 CVE 5,225

$18.31 ฿598

201.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.47 CVE 3,358

$60.2 ฿1,967

-41.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 ฿560

Cinema Ticket

$8.69 ฿284

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

$150 CVE 14.2K

$693 ฿22.6K

-78.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,546 CVE 241.1K

$15.7K ฿512.3K

-83.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.74 CVE 3,006

$59.5 ฿1,944

-46.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.77 ฿1,136

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 ฿3,743

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 CVE 13.8K

$83.3 ฿2,720

75.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$335 CVE 31.7K

$613 ฿20.0K

-45.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$295 CVE 27.9K

$437 ฿14.3K

-32.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$446 CVE 42.2K

$2,094 ฿68.4K

-78.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 CVE 37.9K

$1,509 ฿49.3K

-73.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$674 CVE 63.8K

$3,749 ฿122.5K

-82.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$348 CVE 33.0K

$2,616 ฿85.4K

-86.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$263 CVE 24.9K

$508 ฿16.6K

-48.25%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Phuket: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $335 in Sal and $613 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phuket pays 93% 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 $45.00 in Phuket for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $304 vs $293 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, Phuket earns 93% less. 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: $335 in Sal versus $613 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $150 in Sal versus $693 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 $45.00 in Phuket. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,014 in Sal versus $1,265 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.