Cost of Living Comparison Between Saldus and PhuketCost of Living Comparison Between Saldus and Phuket
Monthly Cost of Living
ðMonthly costs for one person with rent: $1,424 in Saldus versus $1,232 in Phuket.
ðEstimated couple costs with rent: $2,195 in Saldus versus $2,255 in Phuket.
ðMonthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,966 in Saldus versus $3,279 in Phuket.
ðLiving in Saldus is roughly 16% more expensive than Phuket, driven mainly by Eating Out.
ðThe two cities straddle the global median: Saldus is 6% above, Phuket is 8% below.
Currency
ð― Eating Out
Saldus
Phuket
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$17.47âŽ14.95
$4.63āļŋ151
277.32%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$69.2âŽ59.2
$46.84āļŋ1,532
47.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.48âŽ8.11
$8.84āļŋ289
7.24%
Cappuccino
$3.51âŽ3.01
$3.00āļŋ98.0
17.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.81âŽ1.55
$0.74āļŋ24.25
144.59%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.30âŽ1.11
$0.37āļŋ11.95
251.35%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.81âŽ4.97
$2.44āļŋ79.8
138.11%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$5.78âŽ4.95
$3.61āļŋ118
60.11%
ð Groceries & Markets
Saldus
Phuket
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.36âŽ1.16
$2.26āļŋ73.9
-39.82%
White Bread(500g)
$1.64âŽ1.40
$1.84āļŋ60.1
-10.87%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$3.02âŽ2.58
$2.24āļŋ73.4
34.82%
Eggs
$3.26âŽ2.79
$2.32āļŋ75.7
40.52%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$12.05âŽ10.31
$19.67āļŋ643
-38.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.70âŽ6.59
$3.65āļŋ119
110.96%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.93âŽ10.22
$13.10āļŋ428
-8.93%
Apples(1kg)
$1.68âŽ1.44
$3.39āļŋ111
-50.44%
Banana(1kg)
$1.88âŽ1.61
$1.64āļŋ53.7
14.63%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.67âŽ2.28
$2.41āļŋ79.0
10.79%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.56âŽ3.04
$2.03āļŋ66.4
75.37%
Potato(1kg)
$1.04âŽ0.89
$1.56āļŋ50.9
-33.33%
Onion(1kg)
$1.07âŽ0.91
$1.50āļŋ48.94
-28.67%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.76âŽ1.51
$1.02āļŋ33.50
72.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.84âŽ0.72
$0.49āļŋ16.00
71.43%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$5.68âŽ4.86
$4.45āļŋ145
27.64%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.24âŽ7.05
$18.88āļŋ617
-56.36%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.88âŽ1.61
$1.78āļŋ58.1
5.62%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25âŽ1.93
$2.75āļŋ90.1
-18.18%
ð Getting Around
Saldus
Phuket
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.96âŽ0.82
$1.40āļŋ45.81
-31.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$36.28âŽ31.05
$11.48āļŋ376
216.03%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.82âŽ2.41
$3.12āļŋ102
-9.62%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.81âŽ0.70
$1.00āļŋ32.67
-19.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$13.73âŽ11.75
$14.09āļŋ461
-2.56%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.79âŽ1.53
$1.35āļŋ44.19
32.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.0KâŽ26.5K
$27.2Kāļŋ888.9K
14.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.6KâŽ27.0K
$32.9Kāļŋ1.1M
-4.04%
ð§ū Monthly Utilities & Internet
Saldus
Phuket
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$331âŽ283
$125āļŋ4,087
164.52%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$19.87âŽ17.01
$13.57āļŋ444
46.43%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.99âŽ17.11
$18.52āļŋ606
7.94%
ð Sport & Entertainment
Saldus
Phuket
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$50.5âŽ43.23
$61.5āļŋ2,010
-17.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$16.84āļŋ551
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.39âŽ9.75
$9.19āļŋ300
23.94%
ð§ļ Childcare & Education
Saldus
Phuket
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$548âŽ469
$698āļŋ22.8K
-21.54%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$15.6KâŽ13.4K
$15.6Kāļŋ509.9K
0.15%
ðð Clothing & Footwear
Saldus
Phuket
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$90.0âŽ77.1
$57.8āļŋ1,889
55.87%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$45.97âŽ39.35
$35.24āļŋ1,152
30.45%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$96.8âŽ82.9
$113āļŋ3,699
-14.44%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$134âŽ115
$86.4āļŋ2,825
54.94%
ð Accommodation & Living
Saldus
Phuket
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$354âŽ303
$616āļŋ20.1K
-42.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$259âŽ222
$446āļŋ14.6K
-41.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$752âŽ643
$2,048āļŋ67.0K
-63.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$454âŽ388
$1,492āļŋ48.8K
-69.59%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,490âŽ1,275
$3,779āļŋ123.6K
-60.57%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$944âŽ808
$2,649āļŋ86.6K
-64.36%
ðĩ Salaries & Financials
Saldus
Phuket
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$524āļŋ17.1K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.63
5.33
-13.13%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input â minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Saldus: April 27, 2026
Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026
Cost Breakdown
ð A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Saldus and $616 in Phuket. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
ðDining out: $69.0 in Saldus vs $47.00 in Phuket. Groceries flip the comparison at $266 vs $292, with Saldus 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
Saldus vs Phuket: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Phuket cheaper than Saldus?
Phuket is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $2,136 in Saldus and $1,847 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 Saldus and Phuket?
Rent for a central apartment: $354 in Saldus versus $616 in Phuket. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $548 in Saldus versus $698 in Phuket. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Saldus and Phuket?
Shoppers in Saldus pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Saldus or Phuket?
At $1,232 in Phuket versus $1,424 in Saldus, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Phuket but tight or insufficient in Saldus. The gap between the two cities makes Phuket the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Saldus or Phuket more family-friendly?
For families, Phuket is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Saldus, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Saldus or Phuket?
Safety-wise, Saldus 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 Phuket gentler on the wallet â expenses run 16% less than in Saldus. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.